Heavy Rain, BioShock 2 and Aliens vs Predator game reviews

Heavy Rain for the Sony PS3 is supposed to be an interactive movie. Actually, it's better than that - more on which as soon as I can here. But peep my reviews at MSN Tech & Gadgets and Electric Pig for the full emotional rollercoaster.
BioShock 2 also gets the review treatment at MSN Tech & Gadgets from me. The original was that rare beast: an intelligent, adult and philosophically sophisticated game that simultaneously looked great and kicked butt interactively. Can the sequel possibly live up to the original? Read the review and find out...
Finally, a lazy update of the rather brilliant 1999 PC game adds little beyond its at least inventive multi-player. Awkward controls and lazy design hamper Aliens vs Predator. For the full horror, see my reviews at MSN Tech & Gadgets and Electric Pig once more.

Bayonetta and Darksiders reviews

Bayonetta and Darksiders reviews at MSN's Tech & Gadgets Gaming section, by me. The overspill from the Christmas avoidance of Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has begun - with two big games turning up for release on 8 January 2010.
Bayonetta's witch-with-guns-in-her-heels flamboyant take on the Devil May Cry shooting-punching combo genre is just about perfect in terms of its visuals and combats. But does it stack up in terms of longevity, script and progression?
Meanwhile, Darksiders is a grown-up, gothic take on a post-apocalyptic Legend Of Zelda - with one of the four horsemen hacking through demonic and angelic enemies and solving lots of environmental puzzles.
Which is better. Read the reviews and find out...

20 biggest games of 2010

The 20 biggest games of 2010? Step right over to MSN Tech & Gadgets to see my take on the games that are going to dominate next year's release schedule.
Included in the list are: Mass Effect 2, God Of War III and Halo: Reach. Of course.

WiiMote and motion-sensing gaming explained

By me in the latest (January 2010) issue of FHM: motion-sensing technology explained. From the WiiMote and Motion Plus to Natal and the PS3 Wand on the gaming side. And the Philips uWand and Firebox Wand remote controls too.

Stuff Dec 09: Xmas games, platform games in history, Sony PS3 Slim review

A slew of pieces from me in the December 2009 issue of Stuff Magazine, just got subscribers' copy.
1. Christmas games (in a big "12 Days Of Christmas" feature) including: Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Assassin's Creed II.
2. A history of platform games from Donkey Kong in 1981 to Super Mario 64 to 2008's Mirror's Edge. And a sidebar on "missing links" including Knight Lore, Tomb Raider and Portal.
3. Long-term and in-depth of the Sony PS3 Slim.
Go buy it now!

Flipside Gizmos: Apple Nano, Halo Wars Mega Bloks and more...

My latest gadgets for Flipside Magazine are now online. The site has the new Apple Nano plus Halo Wars Mega Bloks kits, Jedi Training Sphere mind-controlled toys, Rovio robots, gnarly Bell Jimbo Philips cycle helmets, magic wand remote controls, light-up umbrellas, petcams, Alcatel Tribe cheap Blackberry-a-like QWERTY phones, and the PCTV picoStick - the smallest Freeview box in the world.
The magazine has even more - reviews of the Veho-UK Muvi - the world's smallest digital camcorder, the Sony Walkman S series and news on Dahon's iPod-loving bikes and Electrolux's insane vision of the kitchen of the future.

Script surgeon: Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Part of an occasional series where I give my views on videogame scripts…
There are three specific areas where immediate improvements could have been made to Modern Warfare 2's script and plotting. Two, I very much doubt were in the hands of the scriptwriter. But I'll detail them nonetheless...

Read more »

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 reviews

My thoughts on Modern Warfare 2? Largely excellent - a pulverising run through ever-more ludicrous and grin-inducing action setpieces. Epic, exhilirating and massively slick. But there are some caveats - short, silly plot, and one-note in its relentless speed. More on my thoughts at MSN Tech & Gadgets and Electric Pig. I also didn't like much of the dialogue - but I'll come back to that in a separate post...

Exposure lights review

Exposure LED bicycle lights - designed for serious road and off-road usage, these high-power lights dazzle with their compact, internal-battery, rugged design. Why are they a must buy? Read my review at Stuff.TV.

Electric bicycles review - The Sunday Times

Five electric bicycles tested in The Sunday Times' InGear Test Bench section. The juiced-up Brompton-a-like GoCycle, lightweight modded Cannondale Capo (by Cytronex), a marathon Giant Twist Freedom CS, a budget iZip and quick-off-them-mark Urban Mover. But I'd still say you get fitter and enjoy your ride more on a bicycle powered solely by two legs and some food.