I really do try to avoid mediocre games, you know. They are such a sad waste of time really, and our time is quite unfortunately too finite (yes, cheerful, I know) to waste. Also, I prefer not to defile this very blog with their presence, though in some cases the bits of the gaming public that do enjoy ButtonSmasher just have to be warned. Worms: A Space Oddity for the Nintendo Wii definitely is such a case I’m afraid. And yes, I’ve been a pretty devoted fan of the series since 1995. Even thought the 3D Worms offerings weren’t that bad…

Anyway. Better start with what’s good about Space Oddity. Let me see now. Well, it’s quite obviously a Worms game for the Wii, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s got the charm, style, classic mechanics and lovely 2D cartoon visuals to prove it and it can be reasonably enjoyable. At times. Quite happily it doesn’t do anything bad to the console either and definitely wont hurt the cat. Or dear granny. Oh, yes, and you can even play it with/versus a friend and try to relive those glorious Amiga gaming days. Well, that’s all there is to it apparently.

On the other hand, if I wanted to be as verbose as a particularly verbose thing, I could talk for days about what’s absolutely rubbish with the thing. Unfortunately, you see, everything is wrong. From minor things like the lack of online multiplayer options and the fact that the graphics aren’t as crisp as they ought to, to the irritating change of weapon names, to the bloody unforgivable stripping down of weapon and gadget options to a puny 17. But still, I believe I could put up with these faults and even pretend to like the included mini-games, just in order to enjoy the game from the comfort of my couch, if the controls were decent. Which the aren’t. Frankly, I’d say they are almost broken, what with the cursor constantly sticking to the edge of the screen, the incredibly unintuitive way of scrolling around the battlefields and simply selecting and firing a weapon is too fiddly to describe. Avoid!

If you absolutely have to play Worms on a Nintendo console, better give Worms Open Warfare 2 for the DS a try and you’ll be happy in that properly 90s way again. Better yet, try the Xbox Live Arcade version. It’s got online multiplayer for a fraction of Space Oddity’s cost after all.

Endless Ocean for the Nintendo Wii is not a game. Not by far. There are no goals set for you to achieve, there is no way of losing or winning, no way of getting lost, confused or even mildly annoyed. There is no challenge. No bloody stress or horror. No blood. No puzzles to be solved. No naked mermaids. Nothing. Still, Endless Ocean is immensely enjoyable in a properly interactive way. And it’s fun playing with the thing too. You could call it an interactive toy, I guess, or, better yet, a relaxing, educating, beautiful, interesting, interactive toy that’s heavy on underwater exploration.

Said, uhm, interactive toy is all about simulating the beauty of diving into (mostly) tropical waters, exploring reefs, petting sharks, gawking at multi-colored fish and generally discovering the beauties of tranquil aquatic ecosystems. And all this from the comfort of your couch, without getting wet or in close contact with any creature that weighs almost a ton and sports a few dozen sharp teeth. Besides, I think that avoiding SCUBA diving is rather good for my health and I’m pretty sure I’d get tired just by hauling all the necessary gear to the boat. Oh, and I wouldn’t get to find any treasure lying around in real life either.

When the Fahrenheit demo came out them PC gaming crowds were really impressed. Oddly, so were pure adventurers (of the point-and-click variety, that is). This, you see, was a very unique game and its demo managed to brilliantly showcase all its best elements and leave you wanting. It was immediately evident Fahrenheit was a game heavy on story, a game that was very proficient in using cinematographic techniques, a game that was obviously an adventure at heart, a game with beautiful graphics, top production values, excellent music and convincing atmosphere. The fact that it opened with the protagonist brutally murdering a random guy in a diner’s toilets did help establish mood too.

What’s more, the full game, and that was a refreshing change of habit, delivered what was promised in the demo. Not that it didn’t have its mediocre bits or a shockingly silly ending, mind you, but it really was unique. And if you haven’t played it yet, it will still feel unique in 2008, as no other game dared pull its tricks again. First of all, the context sensitive interface had both an early Wii-like mentality and let you interact with almost anything in the game. Then, the brilliant cinematics were turned into quasi-interactive ryth mini-games, you got to play a variety of different characters, solve some pretty interesting puzzles, intelligently interact with incredibly detailed environments and even get (almost) scared.

Still, the strength of the game lay elsewhere. Fahrenheit, though admittedly only at times, managed to offer players the sense of complete freedom and the branching storyline to go with it. Take the game’s opening scene for example. You have just murdered a man you never knew and are standing bloody-handed in a toilet. You can simply try to escape unnoticed, you can try washing up and hiding the body, you can hide or simply ignore the murder weapon, you can panic and run out of the diner, you can go back and seat at your table pretending nothing happened, you can try to figure things out by examining the crime scene or just leave via the back door. Assuming you actually left via the back door, you now had the option of either wasting time and talking to a weird bum, leaving the place on foot, going for a taxi or riding the tube. And then, when you assumed the role of the not totally unattractive detective chasing the former you, you’d have to deal with your former actions.

Intriguing, isn’t it? And it does get better, trust me. So, uhm, if you haven’t played Fahrenheit (Indigo Prophecy in the US), and I strongly believe you should, well, here’s your chance to grab it for cheap.

Involuntary foreshadowing can be quite ironic when you think about it. Take the beginning of the ridiculously popular PlayStation 2 for example. It was a games console and yet for more than a few months it was used as a means to enjoy the Matrix DVD. Then, a variety of popular franchises thrived on it and finally it went on and defined itself with an amazing line-up of some of the best story-driven games the mainstream gaming industry has to offer. Obvious irony, right? Anyway. Here are five of the more interesting PS2 games around. From a storytelling point of view, that is.

Shadow of the Colossus

The sequel of sorts to the brilliant Ico, Shadow of the Colossus not only tells a simple yet absolutely intriguing story, but actually manages to invoke feelings and use devices only the video gaming medium could provide an artist with. It’s a truly rare game where vanquishing a foe just doesn’t feel right, where every single battle fought is unique and where art direction simply overcomes any hurdle the PS2’s aging tech could come up with. A beautiful game you just have to experience and something I wont talk about in any length for fear of spoiling it.

Silent Hill 4: The Room

An average guy, a haunted apartment, first person perspective (well, at times), eerie sounds, a claustrophobic setting and some distinctly Lovecraftian horrors are apparently all it gets to craft a highly atmospheric horror game. Silent Hill 4, my favorite installment in the series, apparently proved it. Happily, it also proved that even relatively mass-market games can offer better plots than the average horror flick.

Okami

If I were to describe Okami in one sentence, I would probably call it an adult’s Zelda. If I, on the other hand, were to restrict Okami’s charms in the storytelling department only, I would be a grossly unfair bastard. Not that I’m not, mind you, but Okami has so much more to offer besides a wild and very Japanese story, it could easily be characterized as an all-around masterpiece. The audiovisual part of the game is perfect, the innovative game mechanics work, it is more addictive than Diablo, it’s as epic as a particularly epic… err… thing, and you can easily grab it for a very reasonable price.

Final Fantasy X-2

An RPG. How appropriate. Final Fantasy X-2, a direct sequel to (shock, horror) Final Fantasy X is most definitely a game that above all values its story. The fact that said story is based on traditional cinematographic techniques is simply irrelevant. Treat it like a film with extensive gaming bits thrown in and you’ll love it. It’s quite of an operatic (sic) epic too.

God of War

Ancient Greek mythology has been a rather ignored source for video game settings, and that despite all the rampant sex, violence and weird stuff going on. Thankfully, God of War, an offering widely considered as the best for the PS2, managed to create both a brilliant action game and take its liberties with said mythology in order to tell a truly captivating story. Not very interactive in its storytelling, but, still… what an absolute monster of a game. Not playing it should probably be criminalized. Unless of course you’re a child.

Despite my lack of interest in most things Halo, the more than 7.3 million copies of Halo 3 and apparently Halo 3 Limited Edition that have miraculously flown off store shelves are increasingly difficult to ignore. Besides, it’s not such a bad game after all. Rather enjoyable, really. Anyway, surely Xbox 360 owners will be thrilled to know that Microsoft and Bungie announced that 15th April will mark the release of the next pack of Halo 3 downloadable goodies. Yours for 800 Microsoft Points, the Legendary Map Pack will add three new maps to the title’s multiplayer experience: Ghost Town, Avalanche, and one map yet to be revealed. The pack will also come with some new Forge options too.

On to the maps then. Ghost Town, the first one on offer, is a battle-scarred maze of narrow passages and appropriately ruined ruins just outside the once-prosperous city of Voi. According to Bungie, collapsed ceilings and shell-battered buildings will both provide cover and offer a selection of deadly traps, as catwalks and stairways take the fight from claustrophobic ground combat to dizzying rooftop battles. Ghost Town should turn out to be a mid-sized map ideal for Team Slayer games and smaller, objective types.

The second map, Avalanche (pictured above), on the other hand, will be quite a tribute to Sidewinder, not particularly new and quite a bit of fan service too. This massive, vehicle-oriented objective map will adds a twist to its popular predecessor though, what with all the new interiors, dramatically reshaped exteriors, graphics update and brand new vehicle variants. Oh, and the Hornet has also been updated.

The third map to be included, the same that has yet to be announced, will probably be something to keep the fans of smaller Slayer maps happy.

Readers that have read my WH40k Firewarrior review of sorts should already know of my… uhh… fondness of all things Warhammer 40,000. The rest of you, well, you apparently just found out. Oh, and while we are at it, let me tell everyone how much I’ve enjoyed the original Warhammer 40k Dawn of War and -almost- all of its expansions too. I could easily claim it’s my favorite RTS to date, you know. Yes, despite still being quite hopeless at online multiplayer even after four whole years of practise.

Anyway, on to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Soulstorm, the latest and quite possibly final installment in the DoW series and a game that just(-ish) got released. Soulstorm allows players to take command of two new factions, the Imperial Sisters of Battle and them pointy-eared baddies the Dark Eldar, introduces a new resource and the ability to fully customize characters, offers a truly big new campaign, 29 new multiplayer maps, includes all DoW maps released so far and can be played both as a standalone offering and as an expansion to be combined with any of the previous games. It is thus as content rich a product as they get, and, what’s more, its content is of the highest quality too. Seasoned gamers just can’t afford to miss it really. Guess they shouldn’t expect anything groundbreaking either, mind.

As for those that have never played a DoW game, before, well, I guess it all depends on whether you like real time strategy games or not. If you don’t ignore it, if you do I would suggest you give it a try. Download the hefty demo at least. Chances are the lovely graphics, the fast paced gamelpay, the subtle innovations, the glorious cartoon violence, the variety in missions, the ridiculously rich multiplayer options (complete with vibrant community and amazing servers) and the rich Warhammer 40k setting will win you over. If not, you could try Company of Heroes. It’s from the same team you know.

Football games, not unlike adventures and strategy games, don’t need fancy graphics, never truly age and are more than tricky to get right. They are, you see, one of them gameplay driven genres. That’s why Sensible Soccer still is a better game than the latest FIFA, that’s why thousands of people still enjoy Kick Off II and that’s why Football Manager -one of the most successful gaming franchises ever- is in essence a game without graphics. So, what are your options in digital football gaming, I pretend to hear you ask? Well, read on, read on.

Football Manager

Football Manager, the venerable series that began life as Championship Manager, has always been an immensely addictive time sink of a management game, an impressive ever-evolving database of the international world of of football and an incredibly fun game too. Nowadays, it can also be said that FM is a true football RPG, and one of those games we all take refuge in when our teams get disqualified/relegated/ridiculed. Traditionally FM 2008, the latest and best version of the game, is available for PC only, but you can also grab a stripped down version of the game for your PSP or go for FM 2006 for the Xbox 360. Oh, and a MMO should soon be released.

Pro Evolution Soccer

Pro Evolution Soccer is a rare yet happily popular attempt at realistically recreating football. There are no crazy scores here and precise crossing is a matter of technique. It really feels proper. Now, Pro Evo might lack FIFA’s official shine and impressive graphics, but -believe me- it still is the better game. By far. Makes for quite a brilliant party game too. Pro Evo 2008 can be played on the PS3, PS2, PSP and -provided you don’t mind less impressive ports- on the DS. The highly innovative Wii version of the game, a footie RTS of sorts, will soon be reviewed.

Sensible Soccer

This is the best football game ever. Want to know why? One word: pace. Care for more words? Well, how about after-touch, one button gameplay and lovely pixel-art graphics? To properly enjoy Sensible Soccer you should really play it on an Amiga, but lacking one, I guess you could try the equally retro PC or Atari ST versions of the game. Alternatively the best way to get some faithful yet up-to-date Sensi action would be via the Xbox Live Arcade. Sensible Soccer 2006 (PC, Xbox, PS2) is decent, as is the Mega Drive/Genesis version available via a certain TV plug-’n'-play thingy.

FIFA

Not much of a fan of the franchise really, but I must admit it’s quite enjoyable. And looks rather good too. FIFA 2008, quite obviously the latest offering in the long running series, can be played on virtually any console, meaning versions for the Wii, PS3, PS2, Xbox 360, DS and PSP have already been released.

I don’t believe I’ve mentioned it here on ButtonSmasher before, but Lord of the Rings Online is hands-down my favorite MMORPG and I thought you should, well, know. Actually, I’d even go as far as saying it’s the only MMO game of any sort I’ve truly -nay, deeply- enjoyed and a rare game I kept playing for what must have been seven months. Daily, that is, and, unlike World of Warcraft or Guild Wars, LotRO wasn’t something I gave up as a result of boredom. Far from it; giving up LotRO, its impressively written quests, its jaw-dropping world, its amazing storyline and the sense of living in Tolkien’s world was more of a social necessity than anything else.

Problem is, I might just have to give up sleeping once again though, for Turbine has decided to expand the game beyond them regularly released book updates (sporting everything from new quests, areas or play mechanics to in-game houses) by releasing the first full retail expansion of LotRO. It’s name? Why, it’s The Lord of the Rings, Volume II: The Mines of Moria of course.

Mines of Moria, that should be released sometime during the fall of 2008, will greatly expand the game and quite obviously give players a chance at exploring the glorious underground capital city of the Dwarfs, kill a few goblins, say things like Khazad-dûm aloud and probably have tea with the (winged?) Balrog. Other than that, players will also be getting six new books to play through, a level-cap increase to level 60, two new classes (Rune-Keeper and Warden) and those shiny new legendary weapons. Provided they forge them themselves, that is. Far too exciting stuff to miss really…

Mind you, even before the expansion gets released and provided you care for some quality deluxe RPG action, you could still consider giving the LotRO Gold Edition a look too.Oh, and better stick to the role playing servers.

If you’re a publisher with a great back-catalogue of games and are looking for ways to come up with another retro gaming collection for modern consoles, well, look no further than the SEGA Mega Drive Collection (that’s Genesis in the US) for the PS2. It does everything right, is properly priced and offers so many options and extras it can easily compete with them not particularly legal but very free ROM playing emulators. Yes, this should indeed be your blueprint, but let me elaborate.

First of all, the quality of the emulation is just perfect. Everything runs in its original 16-bit speed without hick-ups or frame losses, you can select between the original 4:3 aspect ratio or go for the trendier widescreen look and you can also play at both 50Hz and 60Hz. Heck, you can even eliminate them pesky black borders! That truly is how good things work and thus, despite how suspicious of shoddy retro ports I am, all I can say is there is absolutely nothing to complain about.

Then of course we have the sheer quality of the presentation. Info ranging from the idea behind each and every game to its original box is easily available, menus are sleek and easy to navigate, whereas the extras section of the collection offers a wealth of interesting interviews, unlockable games and odd bits of trivia and photos. We nostalgic gamers, you know, love this stuff.

As for the games themselves, they impressively manage to showcase the range of what was available on the Mega Drive. It actually feels as if they were picked by a historian, covering everything from the action excellence of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, to Sega’s top Phantasy Star RPGs, to cult favorite Comix Zone, to classic Tetris rip-off Collumns. Besides, these gems haven’t aged a day.

See, publishing dears? That’s what you got to give us. As for you gamers, if you ever cared for 16-bit gaming, if you’re in the slightest bit interested in retro gaming or just like to enjoy some lovely 2D offerings, go on, do yourselves a favour and grab the Sega Mega Drive Collection. You’ll be getting all these games (excluding a couple or so unlockable ones like Super Zaxxon, Future Spy or Astro Blaster) for a few quid:

Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle
Altered Beast
Bonanza Bros.
Columns
Comix Zone
Decap Attack starring Chuck D. Head
Ecco the Dolphin
Ecco II: The Tides of Time
Ecco Jr.
Kid Chameleon
Flicky
Gain Ground
Golden Axe I
Golden Axe II
Golden Axe III
Phantasy Star II
Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom
Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millenium
Ristar
Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Super Thunder Blade
Sword of Vermilion
Vectorman
Vectorman 2
Virtua Fighter 2

Younger readers will be shocked to know that the survival-horror genre, just like many of the enjoyable things in life, is a French invention that first manifested itself as the 1992 critical and commercial hit Alone in the Dark or -as game journos came to name it- AITD. AITD, then, the first, best and still unrivaled survival horror game, and of cousrse something you absolutely have to play, went on to spawn three sequels. Actually, make that two decent sequels and one sub-par reimagining of the franchise in 2001, and do try to forget its filmic adaptation.

And now, in the year of our lord 2008, Alone in the Dark is coming back and hitting every major format from the PS3 to the Xbox 360, the Wii, the PC and the still enduring PS2. It’s so close you can even preorder it and, most probably, this will be a pretty wise pre-order too. The game, you see, might not be set during the 1920s or feature any traditional adventure gaming elements (let alone a properly Lovecraftian atmosphere), but it definitely looks fantastic, sounds spooky and will also sport some of the most innovative combat & physics mechanics imaginable. Besides, it all takes place in the astonishingly overlooked Central Park…


Oh, and here are some very reassuring words from Alone in the Dark lead designer (and apparently fan) Hervé Sliwa:

“We have great respect for the first Alone in the Dark and we want to respect the legacy of that, but we also want to put our souls into the new game. I would say the new game is not a sequel, it’s a new approach to the game with new innovations and new rules. Of course you don’t need to play the first one to start this one, but we have little connections between the two games.

The project started in my mind 10 years ago when I was on a trip to New York city, my first trip to the US. Just after I arrived, I was walking in Manhattan and I went up to Central Park. New York at night is lights everywhere – the city that never sleeps. I arrived in front of Central Park very late at night and the park was very dark. I was in front of this huge dark square and it was really weird – it was such a contrast between the dark square in front of me and the lights in the street everywhere. It was like a parallel world, the world of the light and the world of the darkness – it was amazing. At that moment I had a flash in my head that it could be a great playground for a new Alone in the Dark game. When I came back from the trip I had lots of photos of the buildings around the park and I started to imagine lots of different situations and possibilities for the game, different scenarios in the park, adventure plots and so on. At that moment I was working on Sheep Dog and Wolf, so I put all my ideas in a box. After Kya: Dark Lineage we found out Atari had the brand and we had the opportunity to propose a new project, so I took all my ideas out of the box. We had a brainstorm at Eden and proposed the first ideas for the new game and that was the start of the new Alone in the Dark.“