Perfect Dark Zero – Rare – Xbox 360

It was a long time ago now, but back in my early rants, I couldn’t stop going on about Perfect Dark, it was a game I looked forward to intensely after the stunning Goldeneye, and while I praised Perfect Dark highly at the time, it never hooked me the way Goldeneye had, and was quickly surpassed by other First person shooters.

The development time of this sequel has almost legendary status, as with Kameo, originally intended for the N64, then Gamecube, and finally skipping a generation completely to debut on 360. You’d think in all that time, Rare would have been evaluating the evolutionary waves of FPS games, taking their new features and improving on them for their own game. Instead, it seems Rare have only been looking inwardly, to the original game, which while successful, was never really viewed as a landmark title.

The result is a game which works in two ways, firstly it looks great, not particularly next generational, but there are a continual stream of characters and objects scattered through the game which are exceptionally impressive. Largely I feel this is down to the hard work of dedicated animators rather than anything derived from the new hardware. The rubber suit of the scientist you need to rescue in the opening level is a good example, in comparison to the other characters and objects around you, it shines and moves in an almost hypnotically realistic way. However, chasing such a well animated character through corridors of less sophisticated graphics does jar a little. Zelda fans will remember those Disney-esque animated spearmen you had to stealthily avoid in the Wind Waker, and how they looked ten times better than any other enemies you subsequently met in the game. While I’m glad these visual treats are included in games, it’s a shame they’re quality isn’t consistent throughout.

For action, Perfect Dark Zero is well paced, cut scenes steadily move the action on, and the story is well told if you can be bothered to listen. However, the crux of PDZ’s problems are its history, this is a throw back to more innocent times, when just the ability to play a death match on a console was amazing, when just moving from one place to another when you were told to seemed like freedom. While the missions feature varied locations, a good selection of objectives and some great graphics, the result is a mixture which will leave Halo 2 fans cold. I’ve almost finished the game on the moderate level, but the game has never induced the feelings of panic, or intense action usually associated with first person shooters. Those desperate situations when ammo is low and the enemy is surrounding you, that’s what we like, danger. This game is about as dangerous as a wet fish finger. With it’s follow the arrow style gameplay, the only threat is the horribly spread out restart points and the dread of having to go through that “bit” again.

Like many others, I hoped Rare would re-establish their worth, and finally bring us a groundbreaking First Person Shooter. In case they hadn’t noticed, other games have been released in the genre while they were busy, not just FPS games like Half Life and Halo either, how about GTA. The need for some freedom in our games has been firmly hammered home by GTA’s massive success and while most FPS games offer limited or disguised ways of doing your own thing, PDZ feels as on rails as Time Crisis.

In conclusion, Microsoft got a game with pretty graphics they can show on TV and in advertising, but this is a shallow and over glossy attempt which should have been knocked back on track about a year after it’s laborious development cycle began. I’m a gamer, don’t patronise me with pretty graphics, I want a game. Jace Rates 4/10

Project Gotham Racing – Bizarre Creations – Xbox 360

While I might not get round to reviewing much in my rant sections, I’ve previously reviewed both Project Gotham 1 and 2. Thankfully, all the magic is still there, piles of rewards just waiting to be earnt for skilful driving. Personally, I love the cone sections the best.

But it’s the graphics which will stun most people, incredibly accurate replications of famous cities, with Las Vegas being particularly impressive. The racing is always exciting, the online experience seamless, even the sound is fantastic.

The only niggle I have is loading, which throughout the series has always been slow. This time the problem seems particularly annoying because you just can’t wait to get back to the racing. If this problem could have been solved by taking it for granted every console would have a hard drive, Microsoft should be ashamed of themselves.

In conclusion, while other early 360 games are intent on blinding us with light effects, PGR3 looks amazing but it’s the game underneath which will keep you racing till the small hours. An incredible game, and if anyone wants to humiliate me on Xbox live, you’ll find me under “retrobloke” (of course!) Jace Rates 9/10

Kameo – Rare – Xbox 360

After the disappointment of Perfect Dark, I was set for yet another slap in the face from Kameo. Things don’t start well, as you are tugged along with a continual stream of instructions through the opening level. Training levels have their place, but as the years go by they just seem increasingly tiresome.

Once the game starts properly, and you find your first few elemental sprites to help you through, things look up. Using more than one monster to tackle a problem is rewarding, though can lead to long periods of trial and error. The graphics are lovely, but there are issues with bad camera tracking and collision detection which only occasionally makes you feel like you’re touching an object.

Overall though, a compelling though slightly short and easy adventure game, which sadly lacks the fun  and humour of Banjo & Kazooie but reminds you of the game more often than Rare would want. Jace Rates 7/10

Call of Duty 2 – Activision – Xbox 360

As with PDZ, this game looks great in still pictures, but relies on simply asking the player to make their way from one point to another. This lazy follow-the-dot game design ruins some impressive atmosphere which builds up between you and your comrades. It’s one thing giving the player a beautiful war arena to play in, but to then say they can only move through it in a particular way is so frustrating. It seems the Xbox has more than one beautiful but dull game in its roster. Jace Rates 4/10

Xbox 360 : Xbox : PS2 : PS1 : Gamecube : N64 : Gameboy : DS & PSP : Dreamcast : Back to Hub