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SC: Double Agent had a lot to live up to in my opinion. Having completed and thoroughly enjoyed the 3rd installment in the franchise, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, on the original Xbox, I was expecting great things from this game – but it never quite matched those expectations unfortunately. I really liked the morality system the game tried to create because it added to the tension for the Sam Fisher character and the player, but what I liked about Chaos Theory with its more action orientated gameplay and ability to complete missions how you wanted (either all-guns-blazing or stealthy take-downs), with Double Agent the developers went back to the first 2 games and focused just on stealth, which to me, made the game frustrating. Don’t get me wrong, there are lots of players who probably preferred the first 2 games over the 3rd one, but not for me. I found that if you didn’t take into account every little thing, it was game over, which quickly meant I was more likely to get bored and play another game. It’s not a terrible game, I just wish it was better.

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The fourth game in Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell series delivers players gameplay that promises to innovate and transform the Splinter Cell franchise. Ubisoft takes the saga of Sam Fisher into entirely new territory, expanding the story and depth of his character.
For the first time in the Splinter Cell series, experience the relentless tension and gut-wrenching dilemmas of life as a double agent with veteran agent Sam Fisher returning in order to stop a devastating attack by infiltrating a vicious terrorist cell and destroying them from within. As you infiltrate the terrorist organisation in its US headquarters, you must carefully weigh the consequences of your actions – kill too many criminals and you’ll blow your cover, hesitate too long and millions will die. Do whatever it takes to accomplish your mission, but get out alive.

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What can I say about this game other than ‘amazing’? Simply one of the best games I have ever played and along with the 2 episodes available for download, ‘The Lost & Damned’ & ‘The Ballad of Gay Tony’ makes for an exceptional gaming experience everyone must play. There is simply so much to do, whether its simply driving around Liberty City seeing the attractions (I actually played a couple of hours attempting to adhere to the law, such as stopping at red lights & not crashing into other cars or scaring pedestrians etc just for fun) or immersing yourself in the games main story mode. Some people may say the graphics aren’t up to the standard set by other games currently available on this generations console, but when you think about how much stuff is on-screen at any one time – with a whole city at your disposal I personally can’t really fault it. Rockstar Games, to me, are one of the very best developers in the industry today and I can’t wait for what they have in store for gamers next and where they take the GTA universe.

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GTA IV renews the series with a redesigned version of Liberty City from GTA III. Detailed to such a high degree, it makes you feel like a living, breathing city. With four boroughs to explore plus an extra area outside of Liberty City proper, the ability to climb obstacles, drive cars, steer boats and pilot helicopters, allows the world of GTA to be more accessible than ever before. In this fourth instalment of the popular series, players take on the role of Niko Bellic, a rough-around-the-edges Eastern European who has just arrived in Liberty City USA after his cousin convinced him to emigrate. The wealth, the comfort, the bliss of the good life…it’s all for the taking, but as soon Niko discovers the truth about the American way; it may not be as easy as his cousin suggested.

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The sequel to Gears of War, one of the best selling Xbox 360 games ever – this game features more of the same. With a very slight improvement in graphics (the melee kills are fantastic as blood covers the screen when you cut through opponents with your chainsaw mounted assault rifle) and GoW 2 makes for an excellent two player co-op campaign as well. Once again though, like the first game, the hype and media attention seems to have made this game into behemoth title that has been done better in other titles and I just don’t “get it”. If you didn’t like the first game then this is unlikely to change your opinion.

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The gears of war continue to turn for Marcus Fenix and his squad of Cogs as they go back into action in this sequel to Microsoft and developer Epic Games’ blockbuster action title. The game is an epic saga of survival, loss, and retribution as Gears of War 2 resumes the story of Marcus Fenix and the Delta Squad, who are locked in an increasingly desperate battle against the nightmarish Locust Horde for the survival of humanity. Gears of War 2 raises the bar with the amazing technological advances of Unreal Engine 3, delivering a bigger, badder, and more intense experience as the story continues.

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I bought this game because it was so hyped up in the games industry as a “must have” game I was expecting great things. On the whole the game is good, but just not great. I was underwhelmed by the whole experience – yes the graphics were good overall, but I did think the characters were ‘blocky’ and unrealistic. This game has been touted as a defining and leading example of a 3rd person shooter, using cover tactics to progress – but hasnt this been done before? Take GRAW for example, a game, that in my opinion, is done better and was released before GoW. I think im in the minority here to be honest as the game is one of the best selling Xbox 360 titles in history, but in the end I just thought it was overrated.

Product Details
Gears of War depicts a deep and harrowing story of humankind’s greatest struggle for survival against the Locust Horde – nightmarish creatures that surface from the bowels of the planet.
A third-person tactical shooter, running on the Unreal Engine 3 from creators Epic, Gears of War is about teamwork in a big way. All game modes, levels and situations are designed specifically to encourage co-operative play, whether it is with an A.I. partner or human player (with A.I. teammates designed with specific strengths, weaknesses and personalities). Voice recognition will also be available for players with the ability to voice chat with your friends to discuss strategies. In addition to voice chat, gamers will be able to experience individualised matchmaking, view player statistics and customise their games over Xbox Live.

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A new Call of Duty game, this time developed by Treyarch instead of Infinity Ward. It didn’t have as big of an impact as CoD 2 because I had already seen what the 360 could produce in terms of graphics and gameplay, which is what blew me away with the previous game. It just felt like more of the same without much improvement – not my favourite game in the series. Nothing else much to say really.

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Call of Duty 3 brings players closer than ever to the fury of combat as they fight through the harrowing offensive that liberated Paris and changed the fate of the world – the Normandy Breakout.
In Call of Duty 3, play through the eyes of four Allied soldiers as you fight hand-to-hand with new close-quarters combat mechanics that bring you face-to-face with your enemy, improvise explosive devices, disarm traps and perform a host of other battlefield approaches that require resourcefulness and quick reflexes. Enhanced level design provides multiple attack routes that let you determine how to confront the enemy with every choice you make requiring the use of special tactics, from straight out frontal attacks to sniping and demolition assaults. Plus, online multiplayer battles can have up to 24 players, where multiple-occupancy vehicles let you coordinate attacks with friends, driving while they fire a mounted machine gun from the turret or battle it out with a variety of player classes, including infantry, riflemen, scouts and others.

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This game was so underrated when it was released (and still is) in my opinion but I thought it was great and so innovative, I can’t remember playing a game like it before or since to be honest. For those that haven’t seen or played it, Mirror’s Edge is a mix between an old school plat-forming game and a First Person Shooter (without so much of the ‘shooter’ part). You leap around the tops of buildings avoiding guards by ‘free-running’ over obstacles and I *really* did get a sense when playing it that you were high up on top of these skyscraper buildings – I was really immersed in the experience and I cant say that about every game I’ve played. The only criticism I could possibly think of about this game is its lack of multiplayer, but if you haven’t experienced this game yet, I urge you to at least download the demo on Xbox Live and give it a go. Now if only they would make a sequel…

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Mirror’s Edge introduces players to Faith, a free-runner in a world where communication channels are highly monitored and the movement of human traffic is closely watched. When Faith’s sister gets framed for a murder she did not commit, Faith finds herself on the edge of the city, on the wrong side of the law.
Mirror’s Edge delivers players straight into the shoes of this modern day heroine as she traverses the vertigo-inducing cityscape, engaging in intense combat, fast-paced chases and challenging puzzles. With a never-before-seen sense of movement and perspective, players are drawn into Faith’s world.

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When I saw this game in action, the graphics truly did amaze me – the effects of landing every punch became visible on the other boxer’s face as they grimaced and flinched realistically. It was the incredible detail and visuals of every punch that truly made it great. The other thing that stuck out about this game for me was the movement of the boxers around the ring – I had played boxing games on earlier consoles and the boxer you controlled was always stationary and you could only control which arm was used for the punching etc, this had full movement around the ring and made for a more realistic, if more challenging, game. Depending on your liking of boxing, I think this is a great addition to your games collection.

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EA Sports Fight Night Round 3 brings the most intense boxing videogame experience to the virtual ring. Train to fight like the best or create a boxing style unique to your boxer on the way to becoming boxing’s greatest legend. Go toe-to-toe with the greats such as Muhammad Ali, Evander Holyfield, Sugar Ray Leonard and Ricky Hatton. Outside of the ring, gamers can establish intense rivalries through pre-fight events putting purpose and passion behind every hit.

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Mindless violence. Sometimes I just enjoy a game where you don’t have to think about a games plot or story and just shoot things and blow things up (not quite sure what that says about me but hey…). This game really did appeal to me as it was very similar to the Max Payne games (2 of the best games I have ever played, with the 2nd being possibly my favourite game of all time). The 3rd person view and ability to slow down time are good examples of what I am referring to here. The story – such as it was – isn’t the games strongest suit, but in a game like this it’s not supposed to be. Hugely entertaining rubbish imo.

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Chow Yun–Fat reprises the role of Inspector Tequila from John Woo’s influential action film, “Hard Boiled” in this third-person shooting game. Run into danger with both fists full of lead and take down the organised crime bosses who stepped over the line when they took your family. Stop at nothing as you destroy the entire world around you to get them back. You are a desperate man following your own rules; honour thy family; do what’s right; fear no man. Stranglehold features much of the choreographed action and freeze framed sequences that Woo is known for.

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I love Star Wars, doesn’t everyone?! Being able to unleash my force powers proved to be irresistible and it was my destiny (see what i did there) to get this game. The technology behind the lighting strikes and force pushes was excellent and really got you in the mood as you controlled the mighty Darth Vader in the first level of the game, and then… it all went down hill for me from there to be honest. I understand that as the dark lords apprentice you start off with few abilities and grow from there, but to me, it became real frustrating real quick with the focus seeming to be on how hard the player could mash the controller buttons in order to get the character to defeat the many, many stormtroopers. Oh dear, another movie franchised game that just didn’t quite hit the right notes with me.

Product Details
This new entry in the Star Wars saga casts players as Darth Vader’s “Secret Apprentice”, exposing new revelations about the Star Wars galaxy. The expansive story, created under direction from George Lucas, is set during the largely unexplored era between Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. In it, players will assist the iconic villain in his quest to rid the universe of the Jedi – and face decisions that could change the course of their destiny.

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I saw the gameplay for this game before it was released and it looked really impressive. The graphics looked excellent, with the fire effects being touted as a major improvement from anything that had come before, and I also liked the idea of being able to complete your objectives in various ways, from the usual full frontal assault (my fave approach) to stealthier options and anything in-between. My problem with this game when I actually played it was the fact that it was very, very repetitive. Moving around the map took far too long as the objectives were usually positioned on opposite sides of the map and you also got ambushed every 5 minutes by what looked like the same group of enemies – this was meant to make the game feel fresh, but it just became boring and not very fun at all. Not the best FPS I have ever played.

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Caught between two rival factions in war-torn Africa, you are sent to take out a mysterious character called “The Jackal” who has renewed the conflict between the warlords, endangering thousands of lives. In order to complete your mission you will have to play the factions against each other, identify and exploit their weaknesses, and neutralise their superior numbers and firepower with surprise, cunning, subversion and brute force.
Far Cry 2 engrosses players in an entirely new gaming experience, featuring a custom-made open world game engine built from the ground up.