Unreal Tournament 3 [PS3]

Originally titled Unreal Tournament 2007, this latest instalment was almost delayed until the new year, and is also a showpiece for Epic's Unreal Engine 3.

For the first time, Unreal Tournament offers up some single-player action in addition to its usual array of multiplayer modes. An invasion by an alien race known as the Necris has commenced, and naturally, it's your job to defend humankind and get rid of them as James 'Reaper" Hawkins, a member of a hired mercenary team. A tutorial of sorts, the story starts with footage of a battle where Reaper is injured. Post-recovery, Reaper's sister Sarah (Jester) provides a bit of training, after which their commander (Malcolm) fills you in on the situation with the Necris.

During the solo campaign, players will fight various team-oriented battles that introduce the various game types such as Team Deathmatch and Capture The Flag, which will be familiar to most players, as well as Warfare, where teams link nodes across the map and then destroy the enemy's power core. It's also a chance to practice controlling the various vehicles in the game without the pressure of an online match. There's also the new hoverboard as well, which can be controlled via motion controls if you like. As you progress, cut scenes will reveal more of the story and you'll have some choices as far as which battles to fight in. It's a nice added extra, but does feel somewhat strung together, and definitely falls short of the solo game in other First-Person Shooters.

Of course, online multiplayer is really what this series is all about, and in that department, it doesn't disappoint. After creating a customized character, you'll be able to join a Quick Match, browse the various hosted games looking for one that appeals to you, or host your own game. Naturally, there are a large number of settings to tailor the gameplay to your liking. Video effects, audio levels and controller options are almost as numerous as on shooters for the PC. You can even use a keyboard and mouse, if you prefer using them to a controller. If you can't find an online match that appeals to you, or you find you need some practice, you can play against computer-controlled bots to build up your skills. They aren't wimpy either, and seem to be quite a bit smarter and faster than in previous installments. You can also have bots take the place of human players as you wait for more people to join a match that you host. Sadly, there aren’t any split-screen modes where you and a friend can team up against bots, human opponents, or even each other. It’s a shame, since Co-Operative play is fast becoming a must-have feature for FPS fans. Players that were expecting new weapons might not be too thrilled either, as aside from some minor tweaks, the available arsenal hasn’t changed.

The level roster is slightly larger than expected, with different maps available in each game type. While a few are certainly reminiscent of the earlier games, most of them feel fresh enough while still inspiring the same type of cat-and-mouse gameplay the series is known for. One of the new features of UT3 which will likely keep players interested for some time, is the ability to play user-created modifications (mods) made with the PC version of the game. This means that new levels and gameplay types will be available for free. Mod creators will need to export PS3-specific versions of their creations, but players will only need to download the PS3 version of a mod with their PC, transfer it to a flash memory card or USB drive, and then import it into the game from the menu.

The game's graphics are meant to show off Epic's Unreal Engine 3 technology, and do look good. The level structures look amazing, and the game runs as fast as you could ever want it to. It's harder to compare some of the character and weapon visuals, since they are quite stylized, but suffice to say that UT 2004 is looking pretty old at this point. Audio is pretty much what you'd expect from the series, with pumping music, weapon fire, and headset trash talk dominating the soundscape. There's also some ambient sound mixed in there too, and it's definitely nice to have control over the mix.

UT3 is decidedly focused on multiplayer, as veterans of the series will expect. While the single-player campaign does offer a good introduction to the various game types and a training ground for newbies, players are much better off practicing against the bots before taking their game online. The game is very good at what it does, and having access to mods will no doubt keep the game fresh, but the lack of offline split-screen play will likely leave some players wanting just a bit more.

9/10

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock [PS3]

When Activision bought Guitar Hero publisher Red Octane and then handed development of the game off to its Neversoft studio, gamers were concerned that the title might lose some of its magic. Happily, the game manages to keep the same vibe as the previous versions, and adds some new life to the formula as well.

Players again choose from one of several characters that poke fun at various genre conventions and proceed through several setlists, unlocking more tracks as they progress. As usual, you have five fret buttons and the strumbar to hit notes as they scroll past the indicators on the screen. The biggest difference this time is having to contend with the occasional Boss Battle, and eventually battling against Slash from Guns 'N' Roses. During the battle, instead of earning Star Power to multiply your score, you'll earn power-ups that screw over your opponent by increasing the number of notes they need to hit, or making them break a string.

You and a friend can play Career Mode co-operatively online, which is great, since you won't need a second guitar controller. There's also several options to battle one-on-one and see who rocks harder. Worth noting is that the controller is now wireless, and syncs to a USB dongle that plugs into the console. The shape is comfortable to hold for a long session, and the buttons have a softer feel than before, but don't feel loose or unresponsive. Sadly, it doesn't work with previous versions of the game made for the PlayStation 2 when you try them on a backwards-compatible PS3.

The songs themselves are mostly cover versions, as before, but are still high enough quality for the most part that it's not a huge issue. The tracklist should please most fans of the series as well, with tracks from bands like The Beastie Boys, Alice Cooper, Heart, Kiss, Metallica, and The Smashing Pumpkins offering a diverse lineup. With seventy-one tracks in total, and downloadable songs available from the PlayStation Store, there's bound to be a few of your favorites included.

While it's the fourth version of the game in only a couple of years, Guitar Hero III does manage to feel new enough for fans of the series. It's also a good place to start for players who are new to the genre.

8/10

Beats [PSP]

It's taken longer than expected, but Beats brings Frequency/Amplitude style gameplay to the PSP, allowing for beat-matching button-mashing on the go. It's not a port though; Instead of hitting notes on music tracks, players need to match button presses as they pass over one of three spots on the screen. At higher skill levels, highlighting which spot you're matching beats to and getting the button presses correct becomes frantic. The ability to use your own mp3s stored on a Memory Stick adds endless personalization and replay value. Available exclusively through the PlayStation Store website, this $6 download is easily worth the price, and a definite must-buy.

5/5

Mass Effect [360]

Developed at BioWare, known for Role-Playing Games such as Jade Empire, Mass Effect takes players to a future where humans are taking their first steps into space exploration.

As Commander Shepard, the first human to become a "Spectre" agent, it's your job to prove yourself as an effective member of the law-keeping force while also revealing the existence of a huge threat to the various alien races that inhabit the galaxy. Along the way, Shepard will have the chance to team up with various Non-Player Characters who will also take part in squad-based combat.

The fact that this is a Science-Fiction based game already sets it apart from most of the genre and makes for a nice change from the typical sword-swinging RPG action. The game world is huge, with players using a map of the galaxy to determine which planets to travel to and explore. Players can also choose how they interact with other characters through a choice of dialogue options ranging in aggressiveness to make Shepard's character their own and affect responses. In general, players will find themselves with some main objectives involving travel to specific solar systems or planets. You can go pretty much wherever you want though, and check out uncharted planets, possibly finding ruins or even space pirates to battle. As the story progresses, you'll have the option of allowing other humans and aliens to join your party, and take part in battles against various enemies.

While the story is classic Sci-Fi stuff on a grand scale, and the main characters are well-acted by the likes of Seth Green, Lance Henriksen, and Marina Sirtis, the combat action in the game is often frustrating. Your squad-mates exhibit very little intelligence and are often dead before you know it. Adding to the pain are the seemingly hobbled weapons at lower levels (they overheat really fast) and the unskippable cut scenes that you need to watch before each attempt. The character upgrade system is nice though, with earned points either assigned manually or by using an auto-level system. You can also choose to level up Shepard manually and leave the secondary characters on auto, which is great. You'll also have to drive a land-based vehicle called a "Mako" when visiting planets, which has absolutely terrible controls and physics.

Visually, the game generally looks good and features some solid facial mapping and motion capture work, as well as fairly robust character customization. The engine seems to be pushing the system pretty hard though, since graphic details are often seen popping onto objects after they have been on the screen for a couple of seconds. It's also a shame that the game doesn't seem to be streaming any data from the hard drive, as this probably could have helped clean things up and improve load times. Sound-wise, the voice acting is generally excellent, and the music, while perhaps a bit too obvious a nod to Vangelis' score for Blade Runner, is still a nice change from the sweeping strings in most RPGs.

In all, Mass Effect is a nice departure for the genre that does a lot right, even though it gets somewhat undermined by being perhaps a bit too technically ambitious and the action elements needing more tuning. Devotees of the studio's previous games and those looking to give their swords and spells a bit of a rest should definitely make some time for this one.

7/10