If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed - to do this, simply click here. Thanks for visiting!
The arrival of Rock Band meant that the pressure was on for the guys behind Guitar Hero to make the next one even better. With Guitar Hero: World Tour, they appear to have done just that.
It’s the first in the series to feature drum and microphone controllers (available separately) and you can also now create your own songs in the "Music Studio". These can be uploaded and shared through the GHTunes service, where you can download other people’s tunes to play yourself.
To get Guitar Hero: World Tour (with a wireless guitar) on the PS2 for £37.99 from ShopTo, simply click here. The same retailer has the Wii version (click here) available for £60 and the PS3 (click here) and XBox 360 (click here) releases priced at £62.99 each.
Cheap games like this can pretty much take over your life, as they are the best example of a "just one more go" kind of deal that I can think of.
FIFA 09 From £14.97
06 Nov
It was on the cards since last year, but FIFA has finally surpassed Pro Evolution Soccer in the fight for top football game. FIFA 09 is great fun in either single player or with a friend, and runs much faster than I remembered it did previously.
Goalkeepers have improved tremendously, and actually appear to want to save the ball - which has always been something of a problem in the past! The online mode is as good as ever, and "Be A Pro" has been extended to run for a total of four seasons.
If you fancy the PlayStation 2 version, click here to get it for £14.97 from Amazon - click here to get the PSP release for the same price from the same retailer.
Also at Amazon you can buy the PS3 (click here), Wii (click here), or XBox 360 (click here) versions for £22.97 each.
FIFA 09 From £17.98
30 Oct
For the first time in absolutely ages, FIFA has surpassed Pro Evolution - at least, that’s my opinion after playing both (albeit on the PS3, so other console versions could differ).
It’s difficult to put my finger on why it’s won this time, but FIFA 09 just "feels" more realistic than ever before. Sadly, PES 2009: Pro Evolution Soccer still has the faults of the last one, right down to the laggy online mode.
Click here to get the PlayStation 2 version for £17.98, or click here to buy the Wii release for £24.98 - both of which are supplied by Amazon. Meanwhile over at Game you can get the DS (click here) or PSP (click here) versions for £17.99 each.
Canis Canem Edit £4.99
28 Oct
Canis Canem Edit (better known as Bully) is a third-person action-adventure game in the same mould as the Grand Theft Auto series, except that this is set in a school.
You control difficult student Jimmy Hopkins, and must explore the school campus (and later the local town) or complete the main missions. I should probably warn you that there is a bit of schoolwork involved, although this really only amounts to pushing buttons in the correct order or unscrambling words.
If you fancy this PlayStation 2 title, click here to get it for £4.99 from Game. Wii owners might be interested in the updated version, known as Bully: Scholarship Edition, which is still £13 (or less) at ShopTo.
MX Vs ATV: Untamed is an off-road racing game that includes a huge amont of different modes to choose from. Motocross, Opencross, Supercross, Supermoto, Endurcross, and Mini-bikes are just some of what’s on offer.
It’s quite easy to pick and play as well, which means that anyone of any age should get some amount of fun from playing. It’s just a shame that there’s no sign of any online multiplayer, but there is an offline one that at least goes some way to rectifying this oversight.
To buy the PlayStation 2 version for £10.49 from SoftUK, click here. PS3 owners can get their release for £14.89 from Sendit.com by clicking here, or Wii owners can click here to buy the game for £12.99 from Game. Finally, XBox 360 gamers can get their version for £18.99 from SoftUK by clicking right here.
Phew!
It’s fair to say that with any of the Tiger Woods PGA Tour games you know exactly what you’re going to get - namely the best golfing experience you can have without spending a bomb on green fees.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 is the newest entry in the series, and comes with one or two new additions. The biggest is probably the appearance of Tiger Woods’ real-life coach Hank Haney who pops up to offer advice if and when you need it.
Click here to buy the PS2 version for £17.89 from Sendit.com. You can also get the PSP version for the same price from the same retailer by clicking here.
PlayStation 3 owners can get their release for £24 instore at Asda, and Wii gamers can click here to get their version for £24.98 from Amazon. Finally, if you have an XBox 360 you can click here to buy this title for £27.99 from ShopTo.
Phew!
Although Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time is quite an old title now (it was released way back in 2003), it’s perhaps worth taking a look at in advance of the big-screen film of the same name appearing in 2010.
This third-person action adventure game takes the original Prince Of Persia and updates it for a new generation, with 3D level design and an intriguing storyline. I should probably point out that some of the puzzles are bloody hard as well!
The Game Collection are selling the PlayStation 2 version for £3.95 - for more information on this cheap games‘ availability, click here. Meanwhile, GameBoy Advance owners can click here to get their release for £7.99 from SoftUK.
FIFA 09 From £19.71
03 Oct
FIFA 09 is the newest entry in the long-running series of football games. It comes with a few new features, including improved responsiveness from players and a completely revamped collision system (which means that stronger players should be able to hold off others for longer).
Thank the Lord that goalkeepers have also been improved, with better positioning and reactions to saves. Evening games should feel more realistic as well, because the sky changes from light to dark while you’re playing.
To buy the PlayStation 2 version for £19.71 from Tesco, simply click here (and enter voucher code Freedel at the checkout to save on postage). PS3 and XBox 360 owners can get their releases for £29.71 instore at Tesco.
The gaming world is full of average third-person shooters, so what harm will another one do? Mercenaries 2: World In Flames created a bit of controversy recently when the makers gave away petrol in London, as it caused massive tailbacks. This still doesn’t disguise the fact that the game is pants.
It’s quite unique that you can choose who to work for, and there’s over 130 different vehicles to choose from - but these, combined with an OK online multiplayer mode, don’t make an average game good.
Click here to get the PS2 release for £19.99 from ShopTo. Alternatively, click here if you want to get the PlayStation 3 version, or click here for the XBox 360 release - both of which are £27.99 from the same retailer.
You could actually pay less if you use the ShopTo £1 voucher, which I keep forgetting to mention.
The DS version of Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures is slightly different from the others. Special abilities and elements can be controlled using the touch screen, the built-in microphone is used to blow out torches or inflate rubber rafts, and Star Wars characters (including Wicket the Ewok and Luke Skywalker) make special appearances.
All other releases feature six chapters per movie, with notable scenes from each being recreated in the tongue-in-cheek way that only Lego can do. 83 regular characters are available to play as, and these can be mixed and matched to create all-new characters.
Zavvi have the DS release available for £15 - click here for more details. PlayStation 2 owners can get their version for £17.99 from Woolworths by clicking here, or if you have a PS3 click here to buy it for £19.97 from Currys (which is also part of the Currys instore games sale, by the way).
