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Aliens Vs. Predator
In space, Rebellion can't hear you scream... the studio is too busy making you scream louder the next time around. Developer of the original 1999 action-horror classic, Aliens vs Predator, returns to PC and high-definition consoles.
But this is no remake. This is re-invented, Colonial Marine versus Predator versus Alien madness. Taking control of any particular one of these species sucks you into a very different single-player story experience, where you must use various skills to overcome unique obstacles. Of course, the stories of the three species will cross over, allowing for some rather manic showdowns.
The story itself follows the premise of the original film – an ancient pyramid is discovered on planet BG-386 containing a dark secret, while a race of warriors arrive intent on keeping the structure sealed at all costs. Then all hell breaks loose.
Each species has its own abilities, weaknesses and strengths – the Colonial Marine isn't as agile or well-armoured as its enemies, but it makes up for this in raw fire-power and map scanning technology. Predators have the benefit of stealth and melee attacks, but can be scuppered by long-range assaults and co-ordinated ambushes. Aliens are the fastest of the three, and can run along walls and kill their enemies before they've even noticed what's happened, but it comes at the cost of any real health or power.
Online, the fight is something unique in a first person shooter in that it's not all about the weaponry and agility you have, but how you use one species' abilities to overcome another's weakness. Three-way species battles allow for Aliens, Predators and Marines to fight a battle of brains and brawn to become the deadliest in the universe.£7.99 -
Dead Island
Dead Island is the zombie game you have in your head. It's the conversation you've had with your mates in which you discuss whether you'd be better off grabbing the hedge trimmer or the cricket bat from the garage in the event of a zombie attack.
Dead Island doesn't make you double-hard like Left 4 Dead or ready-qualified for zombie-fighting like Resident Evil. It doesn't make light of the fact that zombies want to eat your brains, like Dead Rising does.
Rather, Dead Island chucks you into a scenario in which zombies are on the rampage (or amble, depending on which zombies you encounter) on an island with a believable level of resources and an open map to go at and challenges you to survive. Fortunately, developer Techland has substituted whatever slightly dull town you're from with a tropical island resort.
This is the structure of the game – talk to folk, get missions, complete missions, wander the island of the dead. It's a case of finding your own way to survive, including what weapons you should use. Don't think you can arm yourself with a bat and a shotgun at the start of the game and be on your way - for starters, that kind of desirable equipment is hard to come by, and secondly it wears out. Slightly reminiscent of Dead Rising, though, is the inclusion of work benches where you can mod, repair and upgrade your weapons. There's also a skill tree for you to navigate, so you can hone your zombie fighting skills.
When you think about it, Dead Island isn't just fun, it's preparation for the impending zombie apocalypse. Your survival may depend on it!£12.99 -
Dead Island: Riptide
You might have thought you'd made a clean break from the original Dead Island. Bad news, unfortunately. Your escape didn't go as cleanly as you'd have hoped and... well, the next thing you know, you wake up on a new, unfamiliar island to a new, unfamiliar face. The woman tells you that the island’s gone to hell, hands you a knife and tells you that you should head to the Paradise Survival Camp. And you're off!
Survival, escape and hitting zombies in the head is the aim of the game. Riptide offers survival horror spliced with a strain of strategic play.
The game features both main quests and side quests, but is set apart from its peers a little by team quests. Team quests are basically ‘Fetch Quests.’ They can come in handy; each member of your team will contribute their bit towards upgrading and defending the base as you complete team quests for them – electrifying fences, providing you with mines etc.
'Fences?' you ask. Yes. Riptide introduces hub defence missions – your base is under attack from horde after horde of hungry undead, so it’s defend or die. You’re able to set up barbed wire fences as a wall of defence before the zombies break through and start mindlessly flailing their arms about.
As always, melee weapons are customisable – baseball bat, nails, basenailbat. Cloth, lighter fluid, shovel, fiery-deathshovel. You get the point.
Riptide focuses a lot on water rather than land, so boats are your best way to get about. Don't expect to be taking nice leisurely trips along the river, though. You'll often find that some of the floating dead aren't actually dead. These zombies will jump aboard the second you give them a chance, and you have to be ready for the quick-time event to kick them in the face as they lunge towards you. Thankfully though, boats have speed boosts. It’s always been fun driving around splatting zombies in a Jeep, and mowing towards them in a boat is no different.
As well as focusing on water, Deep Silver has decided to add weather changes to Riptide, so you might find a sudden storm breaking out while you’re fending off a huge horde of undead.
If you found that beating up zombies never gets old and you still enjoy mugging the brain-dead silhouettes of former men for the $62 they were carrying, then Riptide is definitely a must-buy.£17.99 -
Dead Rising 2
In Dead Rising, as the name suggests, players took the role of Frank West, a photographer fighting to contain an outbreak of a Zombie virus in the backwater burg of Wilamette. Now, two years later, it is clear that Frank was not completely successful, and Zombiefication has been occurring all over the United States. Dead Rising 2 delivers more of the action adventure/survival horror thrills of the first game. Dead Rising 2 has as its main protagonist Chuck Greene, a star Motocross Rider, and as a result the photography aspects of the first game are gone, but the rest of the gameplay remains similar - a mission-based zombie slaying fest.
The game is set in Fortune City - a fictional pleasure capital, reminiscent of Las Vegas. Dead Rising kept players' pulses racing by forcing them to adapt anything they could lay their hands on as weapons to defeat the zombie horde. Dead Rising takes the same route, but ups the ante with exciting new environments, more zombies to be killed and more blood than ever seen before. This being a gaming city, there's plenty at hand to use to attack the undead - baseball bats, electric guitars, even roulette wheels and slot machines can all be used in your defence. There are more creative weapons too, a moose head can be worn and used to barge zombies out of the way, a drill bucket combines three power drills and a bucket to make a very uncomfortable item of headwear. The paddle saw is a broom handle with a chainsaw at each end - imagine how much carnage that could cause.
While the engine for Dead Rising could draw 500 Zombies at once, the new game can manage a staggering 7,000 zombies on screen at one time. And it's your job to kill them, which you can do by ploughing through them in vehicles for maximum carnage. Dead Rising 2 delivers the most intense zombie slaying gaming experience ever seen.£7.99 -
Dead Space 2
I ain’t afraid of no Necromorphs! That’s right, Isaac Clarke returns for another spine-tingling space opera in Dead Space 2, featuring all kinds of sick and twisted mutant action and plenty of tactical shooting play to boot. You’ll have the opportunity to see Isaac’s face for the first time too, and hear his voice as he strategically zaps limbs off of intergalactic monsters.
The premise? Isaac's on top of The Sprawl, the space-bound city where Dead Space 2 is set, and he's got to fix some solar arrays. The vastness of space is beyond, twinkling at you. The Sprawl is sat below looking industrial and stark. It's the sort of place British novelists like Orwell or J.G. Ballard would warn you about. The word that comes to mind is 'Epic'.
And as you explore this monstrous vessel, you’ll find that many of the elements you remember from the original Dead Space have been tweaked. Brand new tools are available that allow you to mince your enemies in even more imaginative ways, while an ever-increasing puzzle adventure element will keep you on your toes as you seek to nullify a huge Necromorph onslaught. There are also zero-G environments to mix up the action a fair amount.
This goes beyond survival horror - Isaac’s calling the shots, and this time he means business.£2.99 -
Dead Space 2: Limited Edition
I ain’t afraid of no Necromorphs! That’s right, Isaac Clarke returns for another spine-tingling space opera in Dead Space 2, featuring all kinds of sick and twisted mutant action and plenty of tactical shooting play to boot. You’ll have the opportunity to see Isaac’s face for the first time too, and hear his voice as he strategically zaps limbs off of intergalactic monsters.
The premise? Isaac's on top of The Sprawl, the space-bound city where Dead Space 2 is set, and he's got to fix some solar arrays. The vastness of space is beyond, twinkling at you. The Sprawl is sat below looking industrial and stark. It's the sort of place British novelists like Orwell or J.G. Ballard would warn you about. The word that comes to mind is 'Epic'.
And as you explore this monstrous vessel, you’ll find that many of the elements you remember from the original Dead Space have been tweaked. Brand new tools are available that allow you to mince your enemies in even more imaginative ways, while an ever-increasing puzzle adventure element will keep you on your toes as you seek to nullify a huge Necromorph onslaught. There are also zero-G environments to mix up the action a fair amount.
This goes beyond survival horror - Isaac’s calling the shots, and this time he means business.£9.99 -
Dead Space 3
Dead Space 3 sees Isaac travelling to the home planet of the Necromorphs with one sole purpose: to eradicate them completely. Well, and to save Ellie, who he had a whole relationship with between the last game and this one.
It's a sad fact that any horror series must face diminishing returns when it comes to serving us scares. The Necromorphs have been around for a few games now and they're not quite so pant-wettingly terrifying as they once were. Visceral's answer to this is to ramp up the action. While the horror certainly hasn't been thrown out of the airlock, the emphasis has shifted slightly towards faster, slicker action.
You'll even find yourself, on occasion, faced not with the gloomy guts of a spacecraft but with the frozen surface of an alien planet.
For the first time in a Dead Space title, you fight against other humans. As they have the ability to flank, take cover and coordinate with each other, it only made sense to give Isaac abilities as crouch, roll and evade to be able to keep up. Also new is the adaptive cover system. Pull out your gun behind a low wall, and Isaac will automatically crouch behind it.
Another addition is the ability to craft your own weapons. Where the last Dead Space game enabled you to augment what you had, ths one gives you the opportunity to build them from scratch - providing you've picked up the right parts.
There's also the option to play in co-op, with a second player taking on the role of Carver, Isaac's new ally. This mode might remove a little of the tension, but it opens up new possibilities for solving puzzles and blowing Necromorphs into tiny little pieces...£14.99 -
Doom 3 BFG Edition
The package also includes hours of new content – seven new levels entitled ‘The Lost Mission’. DOOM 3 BFG Edition is slated for release for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PC and PlayStation® 3 – making it the first time any DOOM game has ever appeared on the PlayStation 3.
Re-mastered for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, this genre defining game and its add-on pack offers greatly enhanced graphics, deeply immersing the player in the demonic world of this terrifying horror masterpiece. Players will also experience a never-before-seen single-player story, ‘The Lost Mission’ featuring seven heart-pounding levels that will once again have them on the edge of their seats.
DOOM 3, Resurrection of Evil, and ‘The Lost Mission’ have been optimized in 3D, featuring 5.1 surround sound, Xbox 360 Achievements, PlayStation 3 trophies, improved rendering and lighting, and a new check point save system allowing for smoother progression through the game. id® Software has fine-tuned the controls to bring the intensity of the DOOM single and multiplayer experience to the consoles, and DOOM 3 now features the new armour-mounted flashlight, allowing players to illuminate dark corners and blast enemies at the same time.
“DOOM 3 was enthusiastically embraced by gamers worldwide at its release,” said John Carmack, Technical Director at id Software. “Today, the full experience has been enhanced and extended to be better than ever, and is delivered across all the platforms with a silky smooth frame rate and highly responsive controls. New support for 3D TVs, monitors, and head mounted displays also allows players to experience the game with more depth than ever before. We think shooter fans everywhere will love it.”
As a special bonus, DOOM 3 BFG Edition will also include the original DOOM® and DOOM® 2 games, making it the definitive collection of the revolutionary games developed by id Software, the studio that pioneered the first-person shooter genre.£12.99 -
Lollipop Chainsaw
It’s rock and roll versus pop! Glitzy versus grungy! Bubblegum versus Gobstoppers! SUDA51, the mastermind behind No More Heroes and Killer 7, is bringing this age-old culture war back to life as the sweet and innocent chainsaw-wielding Juliet faces a heavy metal-influenced zombie apocalypse!
It’s Lollipop Chainsaw, and it’s a game that has SUDA51’s creative stamp all over it. Dark and dingy school corridors get redecorated with gallons of blood and dismembered body parts, with the comic book presentation and rocking soundtrack bringing a real grindhouse movie feel to the proceedings.
Juliet has basic melee attacks which are executed in true cheerleader fashion, with combos involving kick flicks and pom-pom pushes, but if you mash the heavy attack button she cracks out the chainsaw and starts to really bring the thunder. Individual limbs and body parts can be sawn off, with enemies limping and crawling on the floor to reach you if their legs happen to be disposed of.
The action is peppered with some strange dialogue provided by Juliet’s boyfriend - who just so happens to be a disembodied head swinging on a chain by her hips. As you do. There’s some famous talent here in the voicework, so be prepared for some big names to be present in the credits list.
Lollipop Chainsaw is incredibly quirky and commands your interest with the refined combat and frankly absurd set pieces that you’re asked to get involved in.£4.99 -
NeverDead
While NeverDead might sound like a generic title for an action/horror game, it's actually very appropriate. You're Bryce, a demon hunter who was made immortal by demons some 500 years ago. You now spend your days working for some government agency or other hunting the type of chap who made you immortal. Your equipment consists of a sword and a gun for each fist. Oh, and a bad attitude, complete with a healthy disrespect for authority, obv. So it is that you skip off into the modern world to do some demon-fighting.
The catch - the unique selling point - is the fact that you can't die. At a glance, this looks like a recipe for a game that's too easy. Except, of course, you can't really die in any game these days.
In the absence of death, you're faced with dismemberment and the occasional trip to a demon's belly for all eternity. The dismemberment tends to happen quite a lot. Take too big a hit from an enemy and you'll lose anything from an arm right through to your entire body. After a maiming you can choose to either recover your lost body parts by combat-rolling into them or stick it out until your health regenerates and you can respawn replacement parts. Lose a single arm and you're reduced to single-handed gunplay. Lose your entire body and you're left controlling a rolling head. It's novel, kind of fun and leads to some interesting gameplay mechanics.
For example, if there's a locked door to get around you might rip off your head and lob it into an open vent, roll through the system to the other end then burp a new body out of your neck. Alternatively, when faced with an enemy that's protecting its weak spot you might feed it your arm, gun still in-hand, then start shooting it up from the inside.
You can also happily do things like set yourself on fire or charge up with electricity - talents that become pretty useful when you purchase abilities such as firing flaming bullets.
It turns out there are more uses for immortality than just seeing how/if Coronation Street eventually ends!£7.99 -
Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil, one of the most revered series in gaming, is back to put the willies right up you once again. The fifth game in the series has a lot to live up to, with Resident Evil 4 holding a very special place in the hearts of survival horror fans. Will it be up to it? We hope so.
The game sees long-time Resident Evil hero, Chris Redfield, thrust back into the thick of things. And by 'things' we mean 'horde of zombie killers hungry for squelchy brains'. Having chased the undead around the globe and now working for a new organisation, Redfield heads to Africa where a terrifying new bioterrorism threat has emerged. It's turning the people and animals into mindless killers, and it needs sorting out.
Redfield isn't alone. He'll have Sheva Alomar to lend her strength, speed, sharpshooting (and sexiness) to his efforts. Sheva's presence is crucial to the game's core mechanics, as she enables both online and offline co-op play. Even when you're just playing with the AI, Redfield and Sheva will get to the serious business of slaying zombies together and you'll need to watch each other's backs to survive.
As with past Resi titles, gameplay is tight and tense. You'll have to be ruthlessly efficient as you pop off headshots and try to conserve your limited ammo. Keeping a cool head is the name of the game! Not necessarily so easy, since you're in Africa...£9.99 -
Resident Evil 5 Collector's Edition
Resident Evil, one of the most revered series in gaming, is back to put the willies right up you once again. The fifth game in the series has a lot to live up to, with Resident Evil 4 holding a very special place in the hearts of survival horror fans. Will it be up to it? We hope so.
The game sees long-time Resident Evil hero, Chris Redfield, thrust back into the thick of things. And by 'things' we mean 'horde of zombie killers hungry for squelchy brains'. Having chased the undead around the globe and now working for a new organisation, Redfield heads to Africa where a terrifying new bioterrorism threat has emerged. It's turning the people and animals into mindless killers, and it needs sorting out.
Redfield isn't alone. He'll have Sheva Alomar to lend her strength, speed, sharpshooting (and sexiness) to his efforts. Sheva's presence is crucial to the game's core mechanics, as she enables both online and offline co-op play. Even when you're just playing with the AI, Redfield and Sheva will get to the serious business of slaying zombies together and you'll need to watch each other's backs to survive.
As with past Resi titles, gameplay is tight and tense. You'll have to be ruthlessly efficient as you pop off headshots and try to conserve your limited ammo. Keeping a cool head is the name of the game! Not necessarily so easy, since you're in Africa...£9.99 -
Resident Evil 6
Resident Evil is one of the best selling, and longest lasting franchises in gaming history. And although this is the sixth "main" game in the series, when all of the Survivor, Code, Outbreak, Chronicles and other games have been taken into account, over 20 games have born the Resident Evil name.
The original game virtually invented the survival horror genre. And wile each subsequent iteration has moved the game more to a real time action style, the all important atmosphere of the original has always been a core part of the games' special appeal.
Set in Easter Europe, RE 6 lets users play through three storylines, each of which is interconnected, but has its own feel and its own main playable character, either Leon Kennedy, Chris Redfield and Jake Muller. As with RE 5, the playable character is accompanied by a secondary character which is either computer controlled in the single player game, or can be controlled by a friend either locally or on-line. Once you complete all three of the scenarios, a fourth - in which you play Ada Wong in purely solo gameplay, is unlocked.
After listening to user feedback from the fifth game, Capcom has made gameplay in RE 6 more fluid and fast moving. Items can now be picked up in real time and you can switch between weapons smoothly more quickly. Players can also target their weapon while moving, being unable to do so was a frustrating limitation of previous games in the series, but your speed of motion is restricted while you are using your firearm.
Health can be restored by finding herbs and using them to create tablets, and thee is some strategy involved in using the resources most effectively. Tablets canbe used to revive your partner character too, but if either of you die, the game re-sets tot he last restore point.
The shambling zombie foe of the previous game are joined by the J'avo - which can communicate and co-operate to plan their attacks, use weapons and heal one another. When killed some enemies release skill points which may be used to level up certain player characteristics.
Resident Evil 6 aims to combine all that is familiar and popular from the previous games in the series, and introduce enough new thrills to keep even the most experienced RE player entertained.£7.99 -
Resident Evil Revelations 2
While the Resident Evil series has shifted further and further towards action-oriented, shoot-'em-up gameplay in recent years, Resident Evil Revelations marked a move back towards the series' roots. Revelations 2 leans into that tonal shift, emphasizing survival-horror and suspense while offering its own contribution to the series continuity.
The game's story takes place between Resident Evil 5 and 6. There are four playable protagonists to try your hand with. Series favourite Claire Redfield is back but she, along with newbie Moira Burton, has been kidnapped by mystery attackers and taken to a prison island laden with all sorts of nasty creatures and traps. Also in the mix are the pair's would-be rescuers: Moira's father Barry Burton (longtime fans might remember him from RE3) and the enigmatic Natalia Korda.
The main story is structured into four episodes, each featuring two campaigns, with two bonus episodes changing up the gameplay. They've all been designed with co-op in mind, and two players can team up on the same machine. Different characters have different strengths. Barry, for example, is a tank with plenty of firepower, while Natalia specialises in pointing out hidden enemies. If you don't have anyone on hand to help, however, fear not. Solid computer-controlled companions and the ability to switch between them at will make the life of the lone wolf much easier.
Playing to Resident Evil's survival horror roots, ammo is scarce and players who can take a stealthy approach will be rewarded. Scavanging is rewarded by hidden items such as ammo, keys and plenty of goodies to upgrade weapons with, so playing close attention to your environment is crucial.
Raid mode also makes a return, with players charged with completing ever-more-difficult challenges such as eliminating enemies or defending positions. There's an RPG-ish feel to the mode, with monsters having level-based strength and buffs such as elemental effects and shields. Best of all is the fact that the mode features playable characters, enemies and environments not in the core campaign.
Resident Evil Revelations 2 is a return to the series' roots, but comes with plenty to keep newer players happy.£27.99 Buy Now -
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City
Capcom has been doing a lot of soul-searching for its Resident Evil survival horror series as of late, with the action-heavy fifth instalment paving the way for similar approaches in Revelations and RE6. It’s no surprise then, that Slant Six has been hard at work on a spinoff that's action-focused from the very start. And ironically, it feels like the most faithful entry in years.
It probably has a lot to do with the fact that Operation Raccoon City is deeply rooted in the franchise’s golden days. Taking place between the events of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3, and after the populace of Raccoon City has been infected by the T-Virus outbreak, the story centres on two factions fighting for survival - the Spec Ops team, who are called out to investigate the disaster and uncover Umbrella’s role in the incident; and Umbrella’s own Security Service.
In a curious twist, this squad-based third-person co-op shooter sees you in the role of the latter team. The shady Umbrella Security Service is on a mission to cover up and destroy all evidence of its organisation’s involvement in the T-Virus incident, at any cost. And it feels quite satisfying to be playing the bad guy - it adds a whole new dimension to the Resident Evil 2 storyline, and ultimately it just feels cool to be controlling a badass mercenary.
In gameplay terms, REORC is a fast and frantic third-person shooter, which happens to involve zombies and BOWs (Bio-Organic Weapons) as enemies. As you'd expect in a shooter with a focus on team mechanics, you can play the campaign with friends, not to mention get involved in a raft of competitive multiplayer modes.
Objectives are generally quite interesting, ranging from recon to assassination and - gulp - even locating and repairing the Nemesis project from Resident Evil 3. In this particular mission, in a stage some four levels into the campaign, you’re presented with some interesting challenges as a team - recovering parts of a key, with fragments dotted in various places in the vicinity. With hordes of enemies everywhere, do you split the team into groups of two, go it alone or all together?
One thing that is very noticeable the second you start playing the game is the controls. Naturally tailored to suit the nuances of a sometimes fast-paced shooter rather than a survival horror, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d be playing Gears of War if you had a blindfold on.
If you've ever fancied dipping your toe in Resident Evil's undead-infested waters but prefer a faster-paced game, this is the one for you.£9.99 -
Resident Evil: Revelations
Resident Evil: Revelations was a 3DS exclusive when it first made its way into the world. While it was a well-received success on the handheld, however, there was a huge chunk of the Resi audience left out in the cold - console and PC gamers. Thankfully, with this release Capcom is looking to redress the balance.
Revelations is set in 2005, between the events of RE4 and 5. It’s based around BSAA (Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance) co-founders Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield as well as their new partners, and former FBC (Federal Bioterrorism Commission) agents Parker Luciani and Jessica Sherawat. We start out in the middle of the Mediterranean controlling Jill Valentine. Accompanied by her partner, Parker Luciani, she's heading to what appears to be an abandoned cruise ship in search of Chris Redfield and Jessica Sherawat at their last known GPS location. Horror, of course, ensues.
Revelations has attempted to revisit Resident Evil's roots by incorporating much more survival horror than the previous few titles, as well as focusing more on exploration and puzzle solving. This is a survival horror game that’s actually quite scary at times, believe it or not. It has a very eerie feel as, for example, you’re wading through partially flooded corridors wondering where the next BOW’s going to jump out from.
A new feature to Revelations is the ‘Genesis’ – a tool that can be used to scan the area for any hidden items (ammo, herbs etc) as well as to scan BOWs. Each time you scan a BOW, you receive X%. Once you reach 100%, you’ll receive a herb, which can be used to heal your character.
To keep things fresh, there's also Raid mode, which can be played online with a partner. Each stage of Raid mode is an extract from a campaign mission in which you’re tasked with killing the enemies quickly and accurately. As you complete a stage, you earn more BP points, as I mentioned earlier. You’re then able to spend these (and any points from the campaign) on new weapons, upgrades, herbs etc.
All in all, Revelations is a horror gamer's Resi title that's sure to keep old school fans of the series happy.£17.99 -
The Darkness II: Limited Edition
The Darkness is back, and it's darker (of course!) and bloodier than ever! It's about Jackie Estacado, a mobster who, on his 21st birthday, wound up hosting the Darkness, a sentient demonic force from the dawn of time. This demonic force has suitably demonic plans for Jackie but, having risen to the top of the mob, he's been keeping it in check for the last couple of years. It's all based on the comic of the same name (created by Marc Silvestri and Garth Ennis), though developer Digital Extremes (like Starbreeze before it) has taken a grittier, less fantasy-oriented direction than the source materiel.
This sequel, at first glance, is a slightly odd beast. While in the first game demonic powers complemented first-person shooter mechanics as auxiliary gameplay mechanics, in The Darkness II your supernatural abilities are pushed right into the foreground from the word go. In the first game, you might remember, the Darkness was something you had to charge up and use judiciously. Here, it's something you're encouraged to use as much as possible, with Digital Extremes even going so far as to offer points for more elaborate kills, a la Bulletstorm.
This makes for a shift in gameplay – where the first game was about thinking your way through situations and managing resources (providing a note of survival horror), the sequel is faster and tends to encourage wholesale slaughter (as the 18+ BBFC rating indicates, this isn't a title for younger gamers).
The primary manifestations of your Darkness powers are the tentacles that accompany you everywhere. Their main uses are slashing at opponents and using them to lift and fling things around the environment. There is, however, some subtlety to it. A key move, for example, is the execution. There is a range of these. They involve hoisting an opponent into the air and killing them in various unpleasant ways. Depending on the unpleasant murder method you choose, you'll receive benefits such as increased health or ammo.
The Darkness's aversion to light makes a welcome return. You can't use your powers while you're being illuminated and your health won't regenerate. Add in the fact that you can't see a thing while a light's being shone in your face and it's a pretty good idea to shoot them out. It makes for an interesting strategic twist and stops the game being a mindless slaughter-fest.
Overall, if you can stomach a bit of gore, The Darkness II offers a smart mash-up of FPS shooter and brawler play with a surprising amount of depth!£2.99 -
The Evil Within
When The Evil Within was announced, it sent shivers of delight and horror through the gaming community in roughly equal measures. Developed by Tango Gameworks, the game marks the return to survival horror by acclaimed Resident Evil creator Shinjo Mikami. Expect chills, nightmares and gore by the bucketload...
The game revolves around detective Sebastian Castellanos, a man investigating a string of grizzly murders. As you'd expect from the creator of Resident Evil, though, things don't stop at gory slayings and things quickly descend into horrible supernatural nastiness.
Because, oh yes, there is PLENTY of horribleness. Multi-armed spider lady things? We got 'em. And they are utterly nightmarish. The Evil Within certainly reeks of atmosphere and doesn't fall back on a splatter-fest, but it's not shy about its monsters, either.
Like early Resi games, fighting will for the most part be a last resort. You don't want to be fighting these things if you can avoid it. Expect a lot of creeping around and running away, keeping a jealous guard of the scant resources you've scavenged from your environment.
The Evil Within, for all its modern polish, is a return to the survival horror genre's roots from one of the genre's true masters.£42.99 Buy Now -
The Last of Us
Naughty Dog might be 'the Uncharted studio', but The Last of Us is a game that marries the same inimitable art style with a completely different gameplay experience.
The world around the protagonist, Joel, and his companions - a former partner named Tess and a 14-year-old girl called Ellie - is grim and lifeless. The player must guide them on a quest for survival, tackling the dark landscape as they go. Devoid of colour. Roads have buckled, segments of cities have sunk into the ground, and the buildings left standing are half-destroyed, masked in overgrown foliage. The landscapes, as depressing as they are, are presented in stunningly gorgeous detail.
Suspense is clearly what Naughty Dog is going for with The Last of Us. If Uncharted is your explosive blockbuster action flick, this is a tense horror-thriller in the same vein as 28 Days Later. It’s a punishing game, challenging you to scavenge dusty rooms for equipment and scrap, offering little health when facing enemies and pacing each set-piece with slow, morbid tension in mind. Rather than nimbly gliding across the scenery from set-piece to set-piece like Nathan Drake, playing The Last of Us has more in common with any recent Resident Evil game.
The Last of Us has something of an RPG element in terms of Joel’s rucksack. As you progress through the game, you can find scissors, tape, bandages and all kinds of other objects that can help you craft useful items. These objects come under a variety of categories - battery, blade, binding, rag, alcohol, explosive, sugar, and melee weapon.
With the exception of the melee weapon, you can carry more than one of each object category, and creating new tools and resources will require a certain number of objects from different categories. Pick up a melee weapon, for example, and you can use binding and blade items to upgrade it into something more powerful - you’ll be able to see the tape strapping a pair of scissors on the end of your block of timber as a result, too.
All in all, it’s an intense survival experience that impresses both graphically and in terms of gameplay.£44.99 Buy Now -
The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct
Zombies. It isn't nice when they go shuffling around, eating live human brains like they own the place. At the very least, it’s quite dangerous. And naturally, the cause of a lot of tension between surviving humans. This last part is exactly what popular graphic novel and TV show The Walking Dead focuses on - the humanity and drama that comes from such an apocalyptic setting.
Now, Activision and Terminal Reality are set to recreate this tension with The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct. It’s a first-person shooter, but not in the traditional sense, focusing more on strategy and (as the name suggests) survival rather than shooting the undead in the face. Which, you know, you can also do. But you’ll run out of ammo really quickly and find yourself in a bit of a predicament.
Resource management is the name of the game, with every threat laid out before you and a necessity to stop every so often and check your surroundings. Is it worth fighting a small pack of walkers while risking a nasty death, or is it best to use stealth and avoid the enemy? The decisions that lead protagonist Daryl Dixon makes throughout the game will shape the story as you help get the crossbow-wielding survivor to the (apparent) safety of Atlanta.£17.99
