Invizimals Review

Novarama’s PSP Camera game is best described as Pokemon meets augmented reality.  Think manga-esque cutesy mutant animals with special powers battling it out in your living room and you pretty much have a fair assessment of what Invizimals is all about.

Invizimals comes bundled with a camera and a physical trap device, which is piece of cardboard paper with a square hole in the center. The camera is used to capture your surroundings and incorporate it in the game. The camera is mounted on top of your PSP and can be turned 180 degrees – you can face it towards you to take pictures or face it away from you while playing the game so that the room you are in gets captured within the game.

At the start of the game, you must seek out Invizimals who are hidden away in various parts of your room in different colored objects. The camera senses the variations in colors and if you find an object with the right color, the game tells you to place the trap over that colored object in order to trap the invizimals. Once you detect and set the trap for the Invizimal, you must complete a task to capture them – these tasks range from simply tapping a button to more interactive actions like whacking the Invizimal with your hand or tickling it till it gives in.

The game’s narrative is clearly aimed at younger gamers and if you’re under thirteen, you’ll probably love this game. The Pokemon-inspired gameplay can be quite addictive. You capture an Invizimal and use it to fight against other Invizimals. Your Invizimal can be leveled up by using it extensively in battle and winning fights.

Each Invizimal has four basic attacks. Two strong attacks and two weak attacks. The strong attacks take more stamina and you also lose stamina while defending against attacks as well. The key is to defend at the right time and finish your opponent without using all your stamina. If you’re left without any stamina, you cannot use defense and you’re left wide open to any enemy attacks.

What makes the game really interesting are the special interactive attacks you gain in the later levels. These interactive attacks include causing an earthquake onscreen by shaking the PSP or damaging the enemy’s Invizimal by using your hand to cast a shadow over it.

The graphics in the game are decent and fit in well with the theme. Invizimals takes a cutesy tone which will appeal to younger PSP gamers.  Keep in mind though that the camera only works with the regular PSP and not the PSP Go!

While the game is clearly aimed at Pokemon-loving younger gamers, it can prove to be quite exciting even if you’re not thirteen or don’t share a love for all things yellow and fuzzy. It’s worth checking out for the augmented reality factor alone.. This game doesn’t quite make our list of must haves for the year but we’ll give it top points for innovation.

Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age: Origins now banned in the UAE

We’ve received word from EA that Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age: Origin have been banned in the UAE. Rather surprising news as the games have been out in stores for a while now. We have no word on what prompted the ban but watch this space for more information. We’re guessing it has something to do with some rather raunchy scenes in the game. The UAE’s National Media Council probably banned the game after someone reported the sensual scenes in Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age: Origins after playing the game.

In 2009, another one of EA’s games, The Godfather II, was pulled out of stores after it was banned following its release. Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age: Origins follow a similar trend where a game has been banned after it has been released.

As the game is now banned, EA has politely asked us to cancel the competition we’re running for four copies of Mass Effect 2. Sorry folks, but watch out for more great competitions soon.

Heavy Rain? Not in the UAE.

The UAE’s National Media Council (NMC) has banned Heavy Rain, Quantic Dream’s new dark film noir thriller that has had gaming critics around the world raving this month. We suspect that the ban has been enforced due to a sultry seduction scene in the game.

Heavy Rain is the second game to be banned this year in the UAE. Earlier this year, THQ’s Darksiders was banned in the UAE. Recently, EA had decided not to release Dante’s Inferno in the UAE which had a similar theme to Darksiders, keeping in mind the sensitivities of the region and the possibility of a ban by the NMC.

Sadly, the ban on these games has given rise to a flourishing gray market where games like Dante’s Inferno and Heavy Rain are not only sold but often released before the games reach official distribution channels.

Dubai World Gaming Championship Kicks Off

The opening games of the World Game Championship 2010 kicked off at the Star Atrium in Dubai Mall on 18^th and 19^th February. Over 100,000 worth of prizes are up for grabs this year and according to the organizers, over 10,000 gamers are expected to attend the event.

The next round of the championship will be held in April at Bawadi Mall, Al Ain, which will be followed by a third round at the Al Wahda Mall in Abu Dhabi. The finals will be held at Mall of the Emirates in October and the Dubai World Trade Centre in November.

This year’s games includes Pro Evolution Soccer 2010, Street Fighter 4 and Counter Strike 1.6.

Gamers can register for the tournament online at www.gameexpo.ae.

Blog: Please, let it rain!

We’ve just received a phone call from Sony’s PR agency and we’ve been invited to the media launch party of Heavy Rain in Dubai.

However, speculations are still ripe that the game might get banned in the UAE because of a sultry seduction scene (no, I won’t elaborate. Don’t act like you haven’t watched the YouTube video already).

We have our fingers crossed and are hoping that this game releases as scheduled. We’ll bring you more information as events unfold but for now, the skies look pretty cloudy.

New PES 2010 DLC due Mid-February

Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has confirmed details of more free update content for PES 2010 for PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360 and PC-DVD.

Due for download mid-February, the latest update files will bring every club team roster in line with all changes and transfers made up to January 15th. Some player parameters will also be updated in line with their performance in the first half of the season and a new boot design will even be included!

The latest download demonstrates Konami’s continuing commitment to fans of PES 2010. Further exciting downloadable content are scheduled for release over the coming months.

BioShock 2 Review

2k Marin has been in an unenviable position. They’ve been tasked with creating Bioshock 2 – a sequel to a game that’s considered by most gamers as nothing short of legendary. Their take on the world of Rapture is going to be compared at every turn to a game that has one of the highest ratings from gaming critics worldwide. No pressure, just putting the facts out there.

So, how does one create a worthy sequel to a brilliant original such as Bioshock? Well, one way is to push on graphics and come up with a game that’s far more technically superior than the original. That’s a bit hard to do though, especially when the original looked breathtakingly atmospheric in the first place and keeping in mind that consoles have not taken a generation leap since the original game. The other option is to take a really good game, an interesting plot, top notch gameplay and develop it further, expanding on everything that’s good about the original. That’s exactly what 2K Marin have done and with considerable success.

Bioshock 2 is set about 10 years later after the events of the original took place. Rapture, created by Ayn Rand-inspired business magnate Andrew Ryan has been taken over by a female antagonist named Dr Sofia Lamb. Instead of playing Jack Ryan, you now play a Big Daddy, one of the most memorable foes from the original game. Big Daddies are known for protecting Little Sisters, who in turn gather ADAM, which is the magical substance that helps you grow and develop new powers. The storyline is as rich as ever and incredibly indulging.

Playing the game for first level or two, you may be tempted to dismiss it as being just the same as the original. However, once you’re past the initial levels, you’ll notice all the upgrades added in Bioshock 2. For instance, you can now use a plasmid or a weapon at the same time. Plasmids give you special powers such as the ability to incinerate people with your fingers or throw electric bolts from your hands. You can upgrade your plasmids to level two, which increases their effect. For instance, the electric bolts can damage multiple enemies in one instance and your telekinesis powers can hit enemies harder with the upgrade. Your weapons too have multiple options. For instance, rivets can be used to attack enemies directly or as rivet traps which can be set to go off when an enemy steps on it.

While the gameplay is an improvement, the real winner for Bioshock 2 is the relationship between the Big Daddy and his Little Sister. You’ll be tasked to care for the Little Sister and save her from all the zombie-like splicers that are bent on killing her, as she harvests ADAM from a corpse. As soon as the Little Sister starts harvesting the ADAM, a horde of splicers come your way. Make sure you stock up on your ammo before you get the Little Sister to start the ADAM extracting process else you’re in for a lynching. Once you’ve managed to successfully defend the Little Sister, you’re left with a moral quandary – do you save the Little Sister and gain a little ADAM or kill her and gain a lot of ADAM. Each have their consequences both in the short and long term. We don’t want to throw in spoilers, so we won’t tell you of the long-term repercussions. However, in the short term, if you decide to save the Little Sister, you’ll end up having to take on many hordes of splicers as the Little Sister continues to gather ADAM from different corpses for you. On the other hand, if you killer her, you’ll have to deal with a very powerful enemy in the form of the Big Sister. Either way, you’re in for a challenge.

FIFA Interactive World Cup 2010 Kicks Off Next Week

The FIFA Interactive World Cup 2010 kicks off next week — 21st to 23rd January.

Only 256 lucky participants will be picked on 18th January out of all the entries on the site, so make sure you register now – www.dubaifiwc.com.

For more information on the event, check out our FIFA Interactive World Cup 2010 Event Page.

Darksiders banned in the UAE

It’s official — Darksiders has been banned in the UAE. No reason has been cited for the ban but we suspect the theme of the game touched on religious elements that weren’t too warmly received by the censorship advisory at the National Media Council.

The game has received great scores by the gaming media and the ban will certainly be a loss for the gaming community in the UAE.

Bayonetta Review

Take one sexy librarian-type witch, put her in a bondage-inspired costume, give her guns to shoot with, while at it, strap on guns to her heels as well, throw in magical abilities and insane God of War-like boss battles and you’ve got Bayonetta. Did we mention that the sexy witch uses her magical hair for clothes and occasionally gets semi naked when she has to use her hair to summon demons and perform other magical acts? No, we’re not making this stuff up. One things for sure – this game ticks off more male fantasy check boxes than most other games.

Add to all that an even more bizarre plot – the Lumen Sages and Umbran Witches are tasked to maintain the balance between light and darkness. The Lumen serve the god of Paradiso and control the power of light while the Umbra witches gain power from the demons of Inferno and control the power of darkness. A perfect balance between the two existed until an unfortunate event caused the two to battle. Now only one Umbra witch remains and her name is Bayonetta. As the titular witch, you’re tasked with bring down the forces of light with the help of your demonic, clothes-scattering powers.

If that bizarre storyline flew over your head, don’t worry. The game’s brilliance lies not in its ability to tell a great story but in the gameplay. In terms of gameplay, Bayonetta is very close to Devil May Cry, which isn’t surprising as Hideki Kamiya is the brain behind both titles. You’ve got five basic buttons – punch, kick, jump, fire gun and dodge. Using these buttons in various sequences leads to different combo attacks. The dodge feature is particularly impressive as you have the chance to go into witch time, slowing down everything around you, by dodging an attack at the very last second. Witch times comes in handy while solving puzzles and fighting difficult battles.

As the game progresses, more weapons and fight techniques can be purchased depending on the amount of halos you have collected – your opponents drop halos when they are defeated. Again, if you’ve played Devil May Cry, this sort of purchase system should be very familiar.

The gameplay is a mix of button mashing action as well as puzzle solving. Thankfully, the game stays true to its action pedigree and only dabbles in light puzzle solving every now and then. The action is where the game really shines. You’ll need the right combination of moves to take enemies down. Witch time comes in incredibly handy when taking on powerful foes. Special torture moves become available at certain instances during the fight if you have enough magical abilities. Your foes come in all sorts of shapes and sizes – from winged angels to flying serpents. The only problem with the enemies is that they are easily forgettable.

The game’s graphics are decent great level design. The voice acting is decent but the sound track can get mildly annoying even though it does gel with the theme of the game.

While the game has a lot going for it, the best thing about the game is easily Bayonetta. She’s undeniable charming and incredibly sultry. Expect loads of sexual innuendos and occasionally clever banter. Even though the character is supposed to be able to control the powers of darkness, she’s not evil – in fact our glee matriarch seems more of a heroine than a villainess.

We do have a few gripes with the game and its mainly with the PlayStation 3 version. The PS3 version suffers from terrible load times and they’re everywhere. Load a level and it take a long time. Pick up an item and you’re stuck with load time. It can get really annoying but thankfully not enough to set you off the game. The Xbox 360 version does not suffer from this annoyance.

Bayonetta is absurdly brilliant – we love the gameplay and all its charm. If you like Devil May Cry-type action games, this one will not disappoint.

Next Page »