Batman: Arkham City Console Reviews

Batman: Arkham City

Improving on a game that is rated so highly as Batman: Arkham Asylum could not have been easy, but Rocksteady Studios pulls it off with aplomb. If you are looking for the definitive Batman experience, then look no further than Arkham City. While not quite perfect, it comes close and sets a new standard for all licensed titles.

Gameplay: Improves on almost every aspect of the already great original.

Graphics: Shows that the Unreal Engine 3 can still deliver stunning visuals.

Sound: Excellent voice acting and a moody soundtrack

Alan Wake Console Reviews

Alan Wake

Five years in the making and still impressive, Alan Wake is one of the best exclusives on the system. The story is utterly compelling and the gameplay has just the right amount of action and tension to keep you hooked to the end. There’s a few minor issues here and there but overall this is a solid game that deserves to be played by all fans of the genre.

Gameplay: Tense flashlight and firearm battles with the Taken and some good story sections.

Graphics: Nicely done and really gives the impression of a large gameworld even if you are mostly restricted to a linear path.

Sound: Good sound effects and good voice acting

Need for Speed: ProStreet Console Reviews

Need for Speed: ProStreet

NFS: ProStreet marked a change in direction for the series and features none of the police chases or illegal street racing that has made the franchise famous. Instead you get to take part in legal races on tracks from around the world. While not a bad game, it can quickly become repetitive and overall lacks the polish that we have come to expect from a Need for Speed title.

Gameplay: A completely new direction for the series and not one that all fans will enjoy.

Graphics: Not bad, but lacking somewhat in polish.

Sound: The tunes are decent, but the announcers can become annoying

Need For Speed: Carbon Console Reviews

Need For Speed: Carbon

At this point there is probably very little reason to return to NFS: Carbon unless you have never played it before. The whole city is available to play in Need For Speed World Online and since the Xbox Live multi-player servers for this game no longer functions you will be unable to get most of the achievements.

Gameplay: Not a huge departure from Most Wanted and a lot easier, but there is still fun to be had.

Graphics: A return to night time races so expect lots of lights.

Sound: The music is a lot weaker than the previous games

Dead Or Alive 5 Console Reviews

Dead Or Alive 5

Apart from the more realistic visuals and a couple of new characters, Dead Or Alive 5 isn’t that much different from the previous game. Fans of the series will still enjoy it as it contains all the outlandish female characters and breast physics that made the games famous. Those expecting a complete redesign will probably have to wait a bit longer.

Gameplay: Not a drastic leap forward for the series but still entertaining.

Graphics: A more realistic approach than past titles.

Sound: Passable

Need For Speed: Most Wanted Console Reviews

Need For Speed: Most Wanted

Need For Speed: Most Wanted is unfortunately one of those games that becomes a chore to complete. Everything starts out fun but the longer you play, the more it starts to drag on. The police chases are spectacular, but turn into a nuisance long before the game is over. The rubber band racing also mars the whole experience.

Gameplay: A lot of fun but it soon starts to wear a little thin.

Graphics: Not the best I’ve seen but still good.

Sound: The soundtrack is good, but you’ll eventually turn it down

Fez Console Reviews

Fez

Despite all the hype and delays, Fez managed to live up to expectations. The gameplay appears charmingly simple at first, but once you start analysing the cryptic puzzles there is no turning back. The beauty is that casual players can have fun simply exploring while the hardcore can delve deeper and uncover all the secrets.

Gameplay: An excellent blend of platforming, exploration and puzzle solving.

Graphics: Packed with detail and animation despite the retro aesthetics.

Sound: A perfect match for the gameplay and visuals

Dead Or Alive 4 Console Reviews

Dead Or Alive 4

An impressive debut for the series on Xbox 360 but it is far from perfect and is way more suited for the multi-player crowd than those that prefer their fighters single player only.

Gameplay: Highly frustrating in single player, but a blast in multi-player.

Graphics: It’s good, but there are still some noticeable flaws.

Sound: Nothing really remarkable about it

Assassin’s Creed III Console Reviews

Assassin’s Creed III

While the lead character, Conner, is not quite as charismatic or interesting as his predecessor, Ezio, the game is definitely not lacking in ambition. While it is the largest entry in the series to date, it can get bogged down in all kinds of menial tasks. The story is interesting and Desmond finally has his chance to shine but the story feels overly scripted with little of the freedom that the series was based on.

Gameplay: Large and varied but less focussed than previous installments.

Graphics: Beautiful in places but the setting is rather drab.

Sound: Quality audio and effects

LEGO Batman Console Reviews

LEGO Batman

Lego Batman: The Videogame is not something you are going to bust out to show off the power of your console but it is a fun game that packs a lot of content. Traveler’s Tales has done a good job with the license and the game has something for players both young and old.

Gameplay: Suffers from some monotony but there’s a lot of content here.

Graphics: Surprisingly good although it’s not cutting edge.

Sound: Grunts, yells and laughs mixed in with the classic Batman theme