Computer games

Scottish BAFTA awards 2011 shortlist announced

Peter Mullan's NEDS receives four nominations in this year's shortlist

18 Oct 2011

The Scottish BAFTA Awards have returned after a one-year absence, with the nominations shortlist announced yesterday by Karen Dunbar. Peter Mullan's NEDS, a film telling the story of a teenage boy growing up in 1970s Glasgow, received four…

August games review round-up

Gran Turismo 5, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 and Bulletstorm reviewed

10 Aug 2011

Gran Turismo 5 ●●●● PS3 (Sony) After five years of protracted development, Gran Turismo 5 features over 1,000 cars and 71 tracks. It’s a petrolhead’s dream, although its claim to be ‘the real driving simulator’ is somewhat undermined by moronic AI…

Games contest Dare to be Digital attracts best of Scotland's gamers

University of Abertay comp is breeding ground for games industry talent

28 Jun 2011

Dare to be Digital, now entering its eleventh year, has become the breeding ground for Scotland’s games industry talent. Hosted by the University of Abertay, Dundee, 15 teams of five are already feverishly programming a working videogame before the…

Video game LA Noire features Mad Men's Aaron Staton

Rockstar Games’ recreate 1947 Los Angeles in latest title LA Noire

5 May 2011

Henry Northmore checks out Rockstar Games’ meticulous recreation of 1947 Los Angeles in their latest title LA Noire. They’ve already created digital versions of gangland America in the groundbreaking Grant Theft Auto series, and of the Wild West in Red…

Can Nintendo’s new 3DS handheld live up to the hype?

Playtest reveals augmented reality games as best showcase for 3D

7 Mar 2011

This piece could discuss technical specifications and the history of Nintendo’s innovative design, but instead let’s cut to the chase: does the 3D work? Happily the answer is a resounding ‘yes’. It’s actually pretty amazing. With the 3DS Nintendo have…

Gaming centres 1LevelUp and Twitch offer high-spec machines

Glasgow and Edinburgh centres blast loner stereotype

16 Feb 2011

There’s a tired stereotype that gamers are loners, locked in their bedrooms hunched over their consoles or PCs desperately trying to beat their high scores. However, gaming centres, such as the recently opened 1LevelUp in Glasgow and Twitch in…

2011's most anticipated gaming releases

Gears of War 3, Batman: Arkham City, Little Big Planet 2, LA Noire

16 Dec 2010

It’s January so the perfect time to look ahead at the videogames that will be rocking your console in 2011. As per usual sequels are big news. Gears of War 3 (Xbox 360, Microsoft, 8 Apr) will be making a full frontal assault on the first person shooter…

Guests from Designers Republic, EIDOS and Pictoplasma among highlights of NEoN 2010

North East of North arts festival secures Scotland's reputation as centre of digital excellence

3 Nov 2010

Not for nothing does The List frequently refer to Scotland as a centre of digital excellence: the success of games developers, including Rockstar, institutions such as Abertay University and now the return of digital arts festival NEoN, all show a…

Edinburgh Interactive Festival 2010

14 Aug 2010

Now into its eighth year, the international festival of computer gaming and technology is far more integrated with the festival proper this year, offering public screenings of the Total War series and previews of Playstation Minis, along with a variety…

God of War III - The academic analysis

22 Mar 2010

I spent my youth browsing encyclopaedias and ancient Greek dictionaries rather than playing computer games; always thinking of history, and book-learning, as real fun. It’s from this academic standpoint that I approach God of War III, a game that is…

Bioshock 2

22 Mar 2010

(2K Games) Xbox 360/PS3/PC Set eight years after the events of Bioshock, this standalone sequel improves on its predecessor without escaping its shackles entirely. Here, the player takes charge of the very first Big Daddy, a hulk genetic…

Darksiders

22 Mar 2010

(THQ) Xbox 360/PS3 You take on the mantle of War (of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse fame) as angels and demons clash and the fate of the world hangs in the balance. While Darksiders won’t win any awards for originality, it’s an undeniably…

Bayonetta

22 Mar 2010

(Sega) Xbox 360/PS3 It’s been a strong few months in the world of action gaming, as Bayonetta proves. Directed by Devil May Cry creator Hideki Kamiya, you take control of a shape-shifting witch for a frenetic ballet of blood, bullets and blades.

Creative hub Central Station stage Dundee Pop-Up event

3 Feb 2010

Central Station is fast garnering a reputation as the essential online hub for artists, designers and filmmakers to share their work and forge creative partnerships. Now this artistic melting pot is putting together a special one-day event to the City…

Darksiders

13 Jan 2010

XBOX 360/PS3 (THQ) If you’re hungry for action, Darksiders should satiate any hunger pangs for third person thrills. Taking it’s cues from the likes of Devil May Cry, God of War and Legacy of Kain you take on the mantle of War (of the Four Horsemen…

Best of a decade: Grand Theft Auto IV released

2 Dec 2009

GTA IV shifted a massive 3.7 million units on the first day of release, and went on to become one of the best-selling games of the decade. Henry Northmore looks at how a Dundee-based games design company produced a worldwide phenomenon Grand Theft…

DJ Shadow and Grandmaster Flash launch DJ Hero

4 Nov 2009

Why did no one connect DJing and video gaming sooner? Both involve single-minded obsession, blinding dexterity, copious alone-time, and – potentially – serious carpal tunnel damage. Fortunately, Activision made the connection and expanded their Guitar…

Leading lights of gaming industry set for Dundee's new NEoN festival

4 Nov 2009

Scotland has had an amazing hit rate in terms of videogames. Starting with games like Lemmings through to the absolutely colossal Grand Theft Auto (the biggest selling game in the world), and with companies like Realtime Worlds, Denki, Dynamo, Digital…

5 Questions: Margaret Robertson

30 Jul 2009

5 people to watch out for in the UK gaming industry Rob Yescombe, creative director, Crytek UK: unconventional, unpredictable, unstoppable. Christian Donlan, an astute, eloquent writer. The smart, savvy Sean Murray, co-founder of Hello Games. Dan…

FUEL - Pole position

14 May 2009

When you think racing games, you picture unaffordable sports cars tearing around tracks based on real-life circuits in exotic parts of the world. FUEL is different. It rips up the rulebook and delivers something more ambitious. Set in a future where…

Gaming round-up: May 2009

11 May 2009

Summer is almost here, which can mean the start of a lean period for gamers, however May is shaping up quite nicely. Damnation stands out amongst the usual movie tie-ins as reboots of the Terminator and Star Trek franchises hit cinema screens. First…

Zombie first person shooter Left 4 Dead announces free 24 hour trial

30 Apr 2009

Fancy a bit of zombie action this weekend? Want to drop into a post apocalyptic world and fight off hordes of infected rabid mutants? Well you are in luck because Valve is offering a free 24 hour trial of their awesome first-person shooter Left 4…

Gaming round-up: April 2009

1 Apr 2009

Spring is in the air. The sun is shining. Let’s all stay indoors and play games. There are plenty of new titles to keep you occupied this month. Whether you are after some shooter action, handheld horror or old school platform gaming there is something…

Back to basics

Emerging talent in the world

9 Aug 2007

Flash gaming is a funny beast. For some it is a mere distraction while others see it as a formidable force in the gaming industry despite the odd ‘bad egg’ website devoted to vulgar cartoons and controversy.Flash gaming is a funny beast. For some it is…

Play - Lord of the Rings Online

3 Jul 2007

How best to describe Lord of The Rings Online? World of Warcraft in the land of Tolkien? Too simple. Perhaps it’s time to find out for certain by setting forth through Middle Earth. So say hello to my character, Snide the dwarf guinea pig. Day One…