Dealspwn

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater 3D Demo Impressions | Not So Solid?

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 13:00:12 +0000

The Metal Gear HD Collection re-introduced us to one of gaming's most beloved franchises, and Konami plan to go back to the series' roots on the 3DS. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater 3D is the very first episode of Kojima's sprawling canon, crunched down onto a mobile platform with all of its levels, features and glorious exposition intact. It's a cause for celebration, and a much-needed boost to the 3DS' software library. Speaking as a fan of the franchise since the original PlayStation era, I've been looking forward to this new version immensely, and was delighted that a demo is now freely available on the 3DS eShop.

I usually try to maintain professional, clinical detachment when approaching a preview build or developer walkthrough (with mixed success, admittedly), but demos are fair game. They're designed to showcase a game's potential and give gamers a taste of what to expect in the final version, and I'm duty bound to call it as I see it. Put simply: I am concerned to the point of being outright worried. Snake Eater 3D is probably going to be an incredibly hard sell for a number of reasons, not least because the HD trilogy is already going to be cheaper.

Do remember that this is a demo impressions piece. The final build could well be more impressive when it launches next month, and I genuinely hope that my misgivings are proven wrong.

Click here to read more...

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater 3D Demo Impressions | Not So Solid? is a post from: Dealspwn.com

Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012 | £14.95 | Zavvi | Xbox 360

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 12:30:24 +0000

What: Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012
Where: Zavvi
Current Price: £14.95
Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012 Xbox 360 Price Comparison

If you're planning on losing a bit of weight this year, but you're not ready to throw away a load of money on membership fees for the gym, then you might want to pick up a copy of Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012. You'll get to take part in a load of activities that burn plenty of calories as you perform them in front of your Kinect sensor. Zavvi are parting with Xbox 360 copies of the game for £14.95, which'll make you a saving of just over £2 on the next best offers out there. Thanks to ctuk @ HUKD.

Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012 | £14.95 | Zavvi | Xbox 360 is a post from: Dealspwn.com

Wolfenstein | £2.49 | Steam | PC

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 10:00:48 +0000

What: Wolfenstein
Where: Steam
Current Price: £2.49
Wolfenstein PC price comparison

Today’s Steam deal brings the return of B.J Blazkowicz down to a bargain price. Because a number of retailers are out of stock, it means that the next best offer is coming from The Game Connection… which is over £20 more expensive than this current deal. Yikes.

Now for a little confession; I consider this instalment a sub-par offering (and is probably the reason Singularity didn’t get the recognition it arguably deserved) and felt it was a shallow and unentertaining sequel that tried to do too much for no other reason than “just ‘cause.” Even the multiplayer thoroughly disappointed me (I still have fond memories of playing Return to Castle Wolfenstein competitively you see) and ultimately it was quickly brushed aside by other games in the genre. Saying that though, £2.50 makes it worth a look, especially if you want to shoot some Nazis. Thanks to chaywa @ HUKD!

Wolfenstein | £2.49 | Steam | PC is a post from: Dealspwn.com

Buyer's Guide | Playstation Vita

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:00:11 +0000

In a bid to clear up some of the myths going around about the Vita, here's a handy guide to help you find the cheapest PS Vita pre-order prices, the best PS Vita bundles and the lowest prices on PS Vita launch titles ahead of the launch on February 22nd. For our length appraisal of the console itself, check out our massive Playstation Vita hardware review.

Wi-Fi vs. 3G

So that's really £219.99 vs £269.99.

Before you begin, ask yourself one question: do I really need 3G?

The answer, of course, is NO!

Considering the unreliability of 3G, considering that most portable gaming is either conducted in one's own home or on the go (at which point 3G becomes even more unreliable), quite why you'd want to fork out £40-50 more for an extra bit of useless gadgetry is beyond us when the number of Wi-Fi hotspots is improving at a greater rate than 3G coverage.

DEALSPWN TIP: Buy the Wi-Fi version and save yourself £40 or so.

Click here to read more...

Buyer's Guide | Playstation Vita is a post from: Dealspwn.com

Age Of Wonders 50% Off Sale | Good Old Games | PC

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:00:34 +0000

What: Age Of Wonders 50% Off Sale
Where: Good Old Games

It's Friday, Friday, gotta post some deals on Friday. Everybody's looking forward to GoG's weekend sale...

Ugh, sorry. Throwaway references to mewling pukes aside, Good Old Games' weekend sale slashes the price of the Age Of Wonders trilogy - with the original down to $2.99 and its sequels weighing in at $4.99 each. These three games are well-loved for good reason, with seriously impressive turn-based action making them perfect for armchair generals and fantasy aficionados. GoG's price represents a massive saving compared to the few preowned stockists around, and better yet, Windows compatibility is assured.

Age Of Wonders 50% Off Sale | Good Old Games | PC is a post from: Dealspwn.com

Final Fantasy XIII 2 | £21.99 | Simply Games | Xbox 360 & PS3

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:30:18 +0000

What: Final Fantasy XIII 2
Where: Simply Games (Xbox 360 | PS3)
Current Price: £21.99
Final Fantasy XIII 2 Xbox 360 Price Comparison
Final Fantasy XIII 2 PS3 Price Comparison
Final Fantasy XIII 2 Review

Final Fantasy XIII 2 has managed to rid itself of some of its predecessor's flaws whilst building on its triumphs. The story is impeccable and allows you to explore which adds to the game's replay value. On the down side you will find yourself engaging in some random pointless battles that become annoying rather quickly. Simply Games are parting with PS3 and Xbox 360 copies of the game for £21.99, which should save you over £2.50 on the next best offers out there.

Final Fantasy XIII 2 | £21.99 | Simply Games | Xbox 360 & PS3 is a post from: Dealspwn.com

Ten New Sleeping Dogs Screenshots: Racing, Shooting, 'Fast Girls'

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:15:12 +0000

Sleeping Dogs - True Crime: Hong Kong by any other name - promises to let players explore an open world and engage in a mix of third-person shooting, brutal close-quarters combat and driving when it releases in the latter half of 2012 courtesy of Square Enix. We've got a wealth of new screenshots for your attention today, which show off this varied brutality to devastating advantage. As well as some "fast girls," apparently.

Get the announcement info here, along with our ancient hands-on preview from before Activision dropped the title.

Click here to read more...

Ten New Sleeping Dogs Screenshots: Racing, Shooting, 'Fast Girls' is a post from: Dealspwn.com

KOTOR, Mass Effect Writer Drew Karpyshyn Retires From BioWare And Video Games

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:00:50 +0000

Drew Karpyshyn, the writer behind some of BioWare's finest games of the last couple of decades including Mass Effect and KOTOR, has announced his retirement from both company and industry, to focus more on alternative platforms for his work, such as novels and screenplays.

Karpyshyn wrote the following on his website earlier this week:

"As of last week, I have officially retired from BioWare. (I’ll give all you gamers a second to let that sink in. Just to be clear, the parting was completely amicable, and 100% my decision.)"

Click here to read more...

KOTOR, Mass Effect Writer Drew Karpyshyn Retires From BioWare And Video Games is a post from: Dealspwn.com

Playstation Vita | £196.98 | Asda (In-Store)

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:50:21 +0000

What: Playstation Vita Wi-Fi

Where: Asda (in-store)

Current Price: £196.98

Let's be clear about this...this is the LOWEST price yet for the Playstation Vita Wi-Fi console on its own. For that reason, and that reason alone, this can be considered to be a good price.

If you can find someone else to buy your memory card for you/have a mate at Sony who'll give you one/will only be buying retail copies of games then maybe, just maybe this is a good bet. Or maybe you're trying to make a minuscule profit by buying a Vita below £200 and then selling it on eBay for a tenner more.

For everyone else, pre-order one of the bundles. Amazon's deal can see you netting a Vita + 8GB memory card for £209.99.

NB. Most Vita games will require you to have a proprietary PS Vita memory card.

Good spot by joshjack, but do consider carefully before you buy.

Playstation Vita | £196.98 | Asda (In-Store) is a post from: Dealspwn.com

Shadows Of The Damned | £10 | Play | Xbox 360

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:45:09 +0000

What: Shadows Of The Damned
Where: Play
Current Price: £10
Shadows Of The Damned Xbox 360 Price Comparison
Shadows Of The Damned Review

Shadows Of The Damned isn't bad in fact it's pretty good fun in small doses and features some entertaining gun fights, although if it's a shootout with a supernatural edge you want you're probably better off picking up a copy of The Darkness II. Having said that £10 isn't that much to part with for an Xbox 360 copy of this one and you should save a penny under £1.50 on the next best offers coming in from Amazon and Play. Thanks to rimz790 @ HUKD.

Shadows Of The Damned | £10 | Play | Xbox 360 is a post from: Dealspwn.com

Alice: Madness Returns | £10.00 | Play.com | PS3

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:30:40 +0000

What: Alice: Madness Returns
Where: Play.com
Current Price: £10.00
Alice: Madness Returns PS3 price comparison
Alice: Madness Returns Review

I was not duly impressed with Alice: Madness Returns, and said so in my 5/10 review. It's a classic case of style over substance, with truly beautiful visuals masking miserably poor level design and dated, cliched gameplay. However, it's also phenomenally good value and contains the original game (that may not be quite as great as you remember) - and this price is certainly appropriate for its quantity.

Play.com are killing it today.

Alice: Madness Returns | £10.00 | Play.com | PS3 is a post from: Dealspwn.com

Sony Not Planning On Bringing PS2 & PS3 Games To Vita

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:15:14 +0000

The Vita is almost upon us, packing enough raw power to emulate some of the best titles of the previous generation... if not this one. However, Sony has announced that they have no plans to bring a selection of PS2 and PS3 games to their new handheld in the forseeable future, instead suggesting that players can enjoy entirely new games as well as supported PSP downloads and PSone classics.

"Users can play supported digital PSP titles and supported minis. In regard to PSone classics titles, we will announce further details when they are ready."

"PlayStation does not have plans to make PS Vita compatible with PS3 or PS2 titles at this point." - PS Vita FAQ

The words "missing" and "trick" come to mind.

Sony Not Planning On Bringing PS2 & PS3 Games To Vita is a post from: Dealspwn.com

Deathsmiles Deluxe | £10.00 | Play.com | Xbox 360

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:00:02 +0000

What: Deathsmiles: Deluxe Edition
Where: Play.com
Current Price: £10.00
Deathsmiles Price Comparison
Deathsmiles Deluxe Review

We've seen Deathsmiles 15p cheaper than this thanks to a shortlived Zavvi deal, but Play.com have swung in with a £2 saving. Deathsmiles Deluxe is easily one of the best Shoot ‘Em Ups on the Xbox 360 - if not the best - and is the definitive edition of Cave’s arcade classic. Responsive controls, bags of replayability and eyepopping visuals make for a seriously epic package. There’s a case to be made that the infinite continues and lack of unlockables were a missed opportunity… but frankly, you should give this one a go and get involved.

Deathsmiles Deluxe | £10.00 | Play.com | Xbox 360 is a post from: Dealspwn.com

Gotham City Impostors Review | Holy Freemium, Batman!

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:00:23 +0000

Platforms: PC | PS3 | Xbox 360 (reviewed)

Developer: Monolith

Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive

Holy context, Batman! Gotham City Impostors has a fantastic premise. The spellbinding intro cinematic introduces us to two rival Gotham gangs: a crew of vigilante Batman impersonators (who we saw for a few seconds in The Dark Knight) and a deranged mob of Joker-obsessed wannabes who brawl over the streets with homemade costumes and ramshackle weapons. We get to watch the Jokerz stealing handbags and terrorising the populace... only to be challenged by the Batz. We're introduced to the idea of normal people - possibly living next to each other - becoming warring street thugs by night. What a brilliant concept. And what a waste.

See, "Impostor" is the operative word here. Monolith has paid lip service to both the Batman brand and their own exciting concept, just latching to the license and hoping for the best. There are no crimes to commit. No grateful civilians to save. No modes, no maps, nothing except the logo that make the most of the rich setting and license. Instead, Gotham City Impostors is just a 6v6 multiplayer shooter with three gametypes, an initially-limited clutch of weapons and a small number of levels.

And that's fine, bizarrely. Monolith make good shooters and Gotham City Impostors packs just enough clout and personality to work. Unfortunately, it's also pretending to be something else. A freemium game... disguised as a £12 purchase.

Click here to read more...

Gotham City Impostors Review | Holy Freemium, Batman! is a post from: Dealspwn.com

Magicka | £1.99 | Steam | PC

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:45:53 +0000

What: Magicka
Where: Steam
Current Price: £1.99
Magicka PC Price Comparison

Magicka's the perfect game for people who like to throw huge fire balls around and destroy their enemies with a ridiculous lightning storm because this one lets you create your own spells using a variety of elements. The comedy featured in the game results in some really good laughs and it's definitely better to head down the multiplayer route. Steam are letting you download copies of the game for £1.99, which'll save you almost £2 on the next best offer coming in from ShopTo. Thanks to thesign @ HUKD.

Magicka | £1.99 | Steam | PC is a post from: Dealspwn.com

Ogasawara: Emulating Western Development Hasn't Worked, Japanese Culture A 'Huge Treasure'

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:30:20 +0000

Dynasty Warriors' production lead Kenichi Ogasawara has called for Japanese developers to realise that their country's culture is a "huge treasure" in the crushingly competitive market of the games industry, and to stop trying to "copy" Western development models.

"We've looked at the way Western developers make and present their games, in terms of the cut scenes, the graphics and all of that, and we've tried to take that approach in development," he said. "Unfortunately, we weren't able to get the result that we wanted."

Click here to read more...

Ogasawara: Emulating Western Development Hasn't Worked, Japanese Culture A 'Huge Treasure' is a post from: Dealspwn.com

Final Gears Of War 3 DLC Announced: Forces Of Nature

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:15:36 +0000

Epic has announced the final DLC pack for Gears Of War 3: entitled Forces Of Nature. It will include five maps (three new levels: Artillery, Aftermath and Cove, as well as Raven Down and Jacinto from Gears 1 and 2) – and four new skins: Commando Dom, Mechanic Baird, Savage Grenadier Elite and Savage Hunter. Note, however, that two of these skins were originally included as pre-order incentives.

Gears 2's Guardian Mode will also make a welcome return along with seven new weapon skins and 250 Gamerscore's worth of achievements.

Forces of Nature will release on March 27th for 800 MS points, or included in the season pass.

Final Gears Of War 3 DLC Announced: Forces Of Nature is a post from: Dealspwn.com

Ridge Racer 3D | £10.00 | Play.com | 3DS

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:00:40 +0000

What: Ridge Racer 3D
Where: Play.com
Current Price: £14.99
Ridge Racer 3D Price Comparison

Ridge Racer is... well, it's Ridge Racer. Riiiiiiiidge Raaaaacer! Its satisfying drift-heavy mechanics, fun tracks and selection of cars guarantees it a place in our hearts, and Ridge Racer 3D is the same game we've been playing for years with new 3D visuals. Newcomers to the series should probably go ahead and enjoy this deal (if they can stand Reiko constantly shouting "you're slipstreaming!"), but RR veterans will have seen it all before.

Note that the graphics are designed for extended periods of three dimensional play. Which is to say that they look fantastic when you enable the 3D mode... and absolutely, hilariously terrible when you don't.

Ridge Racer 3D | £10.00 | Play.com | 3DS is a post from: Dealspwn.com

Borderlands (Game Of The Year Edition) | £10 | Play | Xbox 360

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:45:50 +0000

What: Borderlands (Game Of The Year Edition)
Where: Play
Current Price: £10
Borderlands (Game Of The Year Edition) Xbox 360 Price Comparison
Borderlands Review

Borderlands is one of those first person shooters that's packed full of action and definitely doesn't disappoint. You can enjoy the game in all of its cell shaded glory by yourself or with other players online as you charge about shooting everything in sight. Play are now parting with Xbox 360 copies of the game for £10, which you should take advantage of whilst it lasts seeing as you can make a saving of almost £3 on the next best offer coming in from The Hut. Thanks to Asphyz @ HUKD.

Borderlands (Game Of The Year Edition) | £10 | Play | Xbox 360 is a post from: Dealspwn.com

Aliens: Infestation | £10.00 | Play.com | DS

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:15:28 +0000

What: Aliens: Infestation
Where: Play.com
Current Price: £14.99
Aliens: Infestation Price Comparison

While we're waiting for Gearbox to deliver the continually-delayed Colonial Marines, this surprisingly capable DS side-scroller should be more than enough to tide us over. Aliens: Infestation is mechanically sound, respectful of the lore and delivers a fantastic story alongside the Xenomorph-slaying thrills. Play.com are currently touting the cheapest price around, which will save you approximately £2-3 at the time of writing.

Aliens: Infestation | £10.00 | Play.com | DS is a post from: Dealspwn.com