Gaming

Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned

19 Mar 2009

The first of two episodic downloads for last year’s console hit is much darker then the core game. Playing as new lead Johnny Klebitz, vice president of biker gang The Lost, it’s up to you to diffuse a violent gang war. Unlike previous episodes, there’s…

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…

Grand Theft Auto IV

8 May 2008

Typical, isn’t it? You wait two years for the most anticipated videogame of all time and it turns out all wrong. What have Rockstar being doing with their time? The driving feels different. They’ve changed the shooting. And Liberty City is only a…

Sony PS Vita handheld console - playtest

We try out the new hardware with some of the PSV launch titles, including WipeOut and Uncharted

3 Feb 2012

Sony’s new PS Vita is a pretty impressive bit of kit. It’s the most powerful dedicated handheld gaming device on the market. In practical terms it’s pretty much a PS3 in your pocket. The full HD OLED screen really pops and, due to the processing power…

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…

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…

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…

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.

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…

Little Big Planet and Fallout 3 top of the heap at Game Developers Choice awards

31 Mar 2009

The games Little Big Planet and Fallout 3 were the clear winners at the recent The Game Developers Choice awards ceremony, held last week in San Francisco. Other winners included God of War, Dead Space and World of Goo with Lifetime Achievement Award…

Resident Evil - Capcom interview

5 Mar 2009

Videogames have delved into the world of horror for a good number of years. Haunting Ground, The Suffering, Jericho, Alone in the Dark and many more have fought for the crown, but Resident Evil is the daddy of them all. On its launch back in 1996 it was…

Gaming round-up: March 2009

5 Mar 2009

This month is a quiet one for gamers everywhere but there are a few great titles finally the hitting the shop floor. We have dogfights over Europe, zombies, Empire building, getaway driving and big sweaty men in Lycra. Games are notorious for last…