Order of War,
PC
WITH the market for Second World War games now well and truly saturated, it takes a brave developer to take another step down this road. Thankfully this latest real-time strategy offering from Square Enix has enough quality to set it apart from the opposition. Would-be generals can either command the US military in Western Europe or face the Russians as the Germans on the Eastern Front. Order of War’s key feature is its scale, which puts players firmly in command of a division-sized force. See next month’s magazine for a full review. |
Guitar Hero Metallica, Xbox 360
THE veteran American hard rockers provide a powerful edge to this latest add-on in the acclaimed Guitar Hero series. Soldier was impressed with the game on its release last year and this pack will appeal to Metallica’s army of fans. Whether it is delivering power ballads such as Nothing Else Matters or the belting power chords of Enter Sandman, there is plenty to keep the heavy metal brigade engaged on vocals, lead guitar, drums and bass. A selection of tracks by guest artists completes the experience.
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Army of Two: The 40th Day, Xbox 360 & PS3
IN an all-new outing for mercenary duo Salem and Rios, the sequel to the original Army of Two puts players in the unenviable situation of surviving in a Shanghai under siege, where a carefully orchestrated series of catastrophes is bringing the city to its knees. According to publisher EA, the new game will have a bigger arsenal as well as more cooperative and online options. The 40th Day is due to be released in the winter and it will be interesting to see if it delivers the depth of gameplay that made the original so successful.
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The Sims 3,
PC
THIS deep title invites players to create a character – one of the eponymous Sims – move them into a house and micromanage every aspect of their daily life. From getting a job to going to the gym, the gameplay possibilities are endless and the ability to build and furnish your own home is an interesting distraction. It looks great, but you are ultimately left wondering what the point is. Most people have enough to do in their lives without having to worry about telling their Sim to have a wash. A technical masterpiece, but real life is much more fun.
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Burnout: Big Surf Island, Xbox 360 & PS3
THE ever-popular driving franchise returns for another outing with this new location available as a download. The landscape features some exhilarating roads to navigate plus nine new vehicles to experience them in. The expansion also features new events and challenges, secret areas to discover and an island-specific driver’s licence for player progression. With more than 55 awards to its credit, Burnout Paradise has made its mark and impressed Soldier. The add-on is priced at £9.99 on the PlayStation network and 1,000 MS points on Xbox Live.
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Bioshock 2, PS3, Xbox 360 & PC
SHOWN at the E3 show in the USA, the much-anticipated sequel to the original Bioshock game puts players back in the crumbling undersea city of Rapture. The storyline of this latest first-person shooter centres on a mysterious creature who has been snatching children from the Atlantic coastline. Publisher 2K Games promises a host of new weapons, more powerful enemies and some intense in-game action. Several multiplayer options are also on the cards, including one that allows players to take part in the original civil war that tore Rapture apart.
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