And that’s as official as this kind of news can possibly go, and the first time ever I got a vaguely interesting e-mail from any PR team. Thanks for the tip oh id software and thanks for letting us know you still haven’t finalized the team to work on DOOM 4 and are thus on the lookout for developers. Now, please do give us a moment to cath our collective breath. The announcement was really exciting. Too exciting to be frank, as is any continuation of the ultimate battle against the abominably nasty forces of evil. DOOM will get a sequel! Sometime!

Problem is though, that id was extremely sparse on any kind of other info. I’m free to speculate! Yay! Well, DOOM 4 will surely appear on the PC and judging from the Xbox version of DOOM 3 I could hazard a guess and say it will probably -at least- make it to the Xbox 360, though the PS3 shouldn’t realistically be left out either. Now, as I have only played the PC version of DOOM 3 and still consider it extremely good looking, I’d like to remind id (who presumably won’t be able to sleep till I get on with my rant) that they should not solely focus on the engine, with which I’m sure they’ll make a stellar job. Enemy AI, atmosphere, gameplay and a marine that can simultaneously hold a flashlight and a gun should under no circumstances be ignored.

I did try to live under a rock for awhile and actually ignore Grand Theft Auto 4 and all of its pre-release hype, post-release ridiculous reviews and everything in between, but apparently I failed. Not hopelessly mind you, but failed nonetheless. I did watch a few video reviews, you see, couldn’t help but check a few admittedly impressive trailers, noticed the impressive sales and even though I haven’t yet gone for either GTA 4 Xbox 360 or GTA 4 PS3, I must admit to being quite a bit intrigued. GTA 4 it seems, is an incredibly polished, huge, ridiculously detailed and feature-laden game, but impressively it’s more than that too, and no I’m not talking about the apparently decent story either. Nor the abundance of mini-games and new mechanics.

What really got me was the brilliant -obviously stylized too- recreation of New York City, which, the way I see it, is the first time a city has been so vibrantly portrayed in a video game. Now, I may just be wrong about this as I haven’t gotten my hands on the actual game yet, but it felt beyond right. It felt as if someone has really managed to present a beautiful, detailed, interpretation of NY with a distinct but well-meant touch of sarcasm (how very contradictory) using some utterly amazing technology. What’s more, the thing is interactive too! And it’s even got what look like normal people in it!

For a more elaborate look and an accordingly longer post though, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait for me to get a copy of the thing, which hopefully wont take too long…

You probably have fond memories of the particularly impressive and quite technical fighting game that (allegedly) was Soul Calibur 3 for the PS2. Well, I don’t. Never played the thing. What I do remember though is just how brilliant the original Soul Calibur game was. Both in the arcades and on the beloved Sega Dreamcast in the comfort of my home. It was, after all, the game that led me to the discovery of my refined and frankly banal button-smashing technique; the bane of any average to moderate skilled SC gamer. All I had to do was randomly and quickly push every available button while moving the control stick around and simultaneously clicking on the shoulder buttons. Ahh, the days…

Shockingly, I haven’t really enjoyed a good fighting game since. Not that I tried or anyone would care, mind you, but still. Then again, Soul Calibur IV, or apparently Soulcalibur IV as Ubisoft and Namco prefer calling the thing, does seem like a great chance to revisit the genre. It looks absolutely stunning, will sport new fighting techniques, introduce a few intriguing and probably ridiculous back-story bits, and -yes- will even feature a very playable Darth Vader. A Yoda too! Oh, and finally there will be some proper online multiplayer options available to help me button-smash on a global level. Hooray!

Now, to the more practical bits of news: Soul Calibur IV will hit European stores on July 31 2008, which is quite soon. It will only be available for the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360.

One thing you have to admit about Bethesda’s hotly anticipated and much debated Fallout 3 is that it looks absolutely fantastic. And I don’t mean this in a purely technical way either. The atmosphere of the original games seems to have been brilliantly captured, the attention to detail is impressive and the quality of the artwork is simply stunning. I mean, just look at those brand new screenshots; so evocative and beautiful. Heck, even the Brotherhood of Steel soldier (the shooting bloke in the 3rd picture, yes, he’s one of them) looks properly tacky and retro-futuristic.

As for the game itself, things couldn’t be more promising, despite the fact that it will indeed be a fully 3D, mostly first person and not particularly turn-based based affair. Bethesda, you see, not only managed to provide us with the impressive Oblivion RPG, but seem to have pulled all stops when it came to developing Fallout 3. We can expect over 500 (!) different endings, a huge and incredibly detailed post-apocalyptic world, a new character creation system, multiple gameplay styles and the very very handy new version of Pip-Boy. Oh, and Liam Neeson will be playing the lead role.

Now, for the poor souls that don’t know what Fallout and Fallout 2 are all about (let alone Fallout Tactics), well, instead of explaining the intricacies of their gameplay mechanics or ranting about their excellent stories, I’ll just point you to the brilliant and happily budget priced Fallout Collection.

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men, the flawed but ambitiously mature in tone & style PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 game, will apparently be getting a selection of free goodies. Actually, make that four free maps. Better yet, a selection of four downloadable maps. Said maps will become available sometime this month and will come wrapped in a lovely pack Eidos chose to name The Dope Bag. How very cute, really.

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.

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.

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.“

Apparently the vast majority of the video gaming crowds already knew this simplest of truths and would probably even call the game a classic, but I just wasn’t convinced. All it took though were a few hours of playing through this Gears of War thing and I can definitely say it’s a fun game, a great shooter and an incredibly polished offering. Everything works the way it should: the camera is always well positioned, the graphics are excellent, the controls are responsive, the enemy AI seems cunning, the sounds are terrifying and even the story manages to be vaguely amusing. Happily it doesn’t take itself too seriously either and thus avoids being as offensive as, say, the over-hyped HALO 3. Oh, and its stealthy-shooty-third-person gameplay is a nice change from the standard FPS perspective too.

On the other hand Gears of War isn’t the masterpiece the average Microsoft fanboy would have you believe, but then why trust a MS Word addict in the first place? There’s no innovation, nothing particularly inspired in the art direction nor anything to remember in a few years, unless of course you thought the Doom movie was worthy of a Palm d’Or. Truth be said, GoW is a silly popcorn flick disguised as a quality video game. Simple as that. Enjoyable as that.

There are two kinds of Xbox 360 gamers: those who have already played Mass Effect to death, those that will soon do so and those with a bricked console. Uhm, yes, that’s three kinds apparently. Right. Anyway. What truly matters is that you either know what a great game Bioware’s latest epic is or you should really do bother and find out. Now, in case you are already aware of this simplest of truths, you’ll be happy -nay, elated- to know that the first downloadable expansion for the game has just been announced and will be available on the 10th of this very March for a very reasonable 400 MS points. Oh, and the expansion has been given the properly epic title of Bring Down the Sky.

Bring Down the Sky will include a brand new uncharted world and introduce the notorious, nasty and appropriately ugly alien race of the Batarians. It seems, that a Batarian extremist group has hijacked a mobile asteroid station in the Asgard system, setting it on a collision course with the nearby colony world of Terra Nova. It thus falls to the player to promptly save the millions of innocent civilians before the asteroid completes its deadly (though banal) descent and earn valuable xp while at it. If you must know, Bring Down the Sky should contain approximately 90 minutes of gameplay and even a new achievement worth 50 Gamerscore points.