yes, the ai is real, they can cause the safety car to come out and actually put up a really good challenge on any level above intermediate - handling is greatly improved to, it's possible to catch slides now when you oversteer, can lead to some very hairy moments

Not long now until LA Noire. Anyone else looking forward to it? Granted its 1940's Grand Theft Auto with cops, but it looks superb.

I picked it up last night - I think the only relation to GTA this game has is that it's its made by rockstar and that you can drive around LA pretty freely between locations, but don't be expecting to jump out of your cop car going on a shooting spree its not really a sandbox game at all in the way that GTA and RDR are. The focus is purely on solving cases and detective work with a few fights thrown.

It's a very immersive and engrossing game. Hats off to rockstar for trying something new.

Has he ever left a club and not burnt some bridges? I seem to remember he was doing the same thing at Porto a year or so before he eventually left. Seems he has a habit of doing this.

Great footballer, extremely poor attitude.

ME2 = Mass Effect 2

MAG - I think he means this http://blog.mag.com/blog/category/screenshots/

Anyone looking forward to District 9?

Looks absolutely amazing

Saw it 2 weeks ago, excellent movie. Some holes in the plot but its very enjoyable all the same.

Has anyone seen Hurtlocker yet? - interested to see what people think

I saw it about 3 wks ago. Don't expect an action film with the obligatory bad guy or you'll be disappointed. There is no "plot" so to speak as it's more about the day to day life of what happens in an American bomb squad in Iraq and how it has affected those working in such an environment. I really enjoyed it and there are some very dramatic scenes.

Thumbs up from me.

Got to disagree there mate ''Haze'' anyone.

I enjoyed Far Cry 2 and completed it. It does get a bit repetetive towards the end but the story line is a good and there is a twist at the end.

The travelling can get boring but all you need to do is get the buses everywere, its so much easier and quicker.

The multiplayer is fun but doesn't have much longetivity. I loved the map editor though and spent ages on my maps with some of the lads in my clan.

Well since I was never interested in Haze anyway, this still ranks as MY biggest let down of the year since it was a game I was looking forward to greatly.

The voice acting is awful. It sounds like someone reading from a script with absolutely no feeling in the voice what so ever. It totally ruins the experience for me. That coupled with having to travel massive distances to get to a mission and then having to battle roadblocks and every single vehicle you see on the roads before you even get to thje mission, makes it a less than stellar experience. Good game, but could have been an Excellent game with a little bit more polish.

Adding to the FA3 recommendation, another game I rate and have just completed is Dead Space. Excellent game.

I am seriously tempted to buy Far Cry 2. To those of you who have it what is it like?

Don't bother, biggest let down this year.

Get Fallout 3 instead

Saw the new Bond a couple of weeks back, it's pretty average stuff. A load of action scenes tacked together with a weak storyline which moves far too quick. Not a patch on Casino Royale IMO.

I see Body of Lies is released today for you lot in the UK. I saw it over here a couple of weeks ago.

I think its a great Movie, both DiCaprio and Crowe are excellent. But i think Mark strong (here on imdb) steals the show as Hani the head of Jordanian intelligence.

Not Ridley Scotts finest hour but very enjoyable all the same

Overall 8/10 for me.

Left 4 Dead on PC! (can't speak for 360 version)

Wow, Valve you've done it again. Played till 2 in the morning last night.

Best multiplayer game of the year for me. I've never experienced co-op multiplayer done as well.

I've got to admit, as rants go, that was quality reading.

I think it's easy to get mad at People badge kissing etc as its obviously a false gesture. Anyone who kisses the badge is obviosuly a mercenary looking for some kind of acceptamce or vindication (from whom i'm not to sure).

But to be honest i'm past caring now. I dont really give a monkies what the mancs get up to.

Has anyone played Crysis yet on the PC? Have ordered it along with a new PC just to play it!

Yup, played and completed.

My machoine (core 2 duo 3.2 ghz, 2gb, 8800 768 mb gtx) struggled to play it with all the very high settings on. I played it with some settings on very high and others on high with no AA just to get a smooth gameplay experience. Mind you this was at a res of 1920x1200

It still look the dogs through. Great game you wont be dissapointed.

Bit nippy is it?

I've just moved to Minneapolis and its f'ing freezing

minneapolis weather

and last week it reached -18 celcius!

Sorry will do from now on (Wolverine answered this one though)

I would say that PGR is not its main competitor but Forza motorsport 2. Which is very very good.

I'll get this as well. Looks awesome

finished it muhahahahahahahahahahahaha

bed

night

Best end credits to a game I have ever seen. Genius.

I've done the weighted cube level, killed all the androids level and I think Im on Level 18 where I 've got into the room with the light ball, the androids on the platforms and the moving platform (killed the androids got the platform moving) but Im damned if I can work out how to get the box to keep the switch open.

I'm tired and my brain hurts

look below the ledge where you got the cube.

off to try the cod4 demo.

I got stuck last night on level 15 or 16 (cant remember which one) other than it had a "V" of wall which you had to try and get one of those power balles to bounce onto the other switch - which makes sense if you've played the game, none if you havent - it's great fun though

Is that the one with the weighted companion cube (wtf was that all about )? I'll not give the game away but you obviosuly have to know your angles (although I guess you already figured that one out )

I have been very tempted to pick up he Orange box however, looking at the clips it just dosent feel right to me. The reason I say this is the gun. It looks like its just hovering there instead of being held like in Resistance or Rainbow 6.

This is:-

a.) very picky

b.) very very picky as I havent played it yet.

Whats your take on my minor gripe roversyoyo? Is it valid?

Cant say i've ever thought that when playing hl2, but then again i've been playing this game since 1998 (ever since the original hl) and am maybe blind to it, but the motion aniation feels perfectly ok to me.

the gravity gun is held either side with both hands so maybe thats what you are referring to, but for the function the gun is intended for it feels just fine.

Orange box PC first impressions

In my opnion the orange box represents the best value gaming you can currently buy - 4 tip top games (and one ok game - hl2 ep1) for £40, I even own hl2 and ep1 already for the pc but I still forked out the cash for ep2, portal and TF2 because the other 3 games alone make the purchase worthwhile.

HL2 is one of the best shooters available on any system, and its just gotten a whole lot better with ep2. The story telling and dialogue are second to none and the in game physics puzzles and combat are still streets ahead of most other shooters out today. The pacing of the game is just so well done with giant set piece battles to vehicle sections to exploring an underground antlion cave and mine, you never get bored or have to retrace your steps ever. You sometimes have to go back to a particluar area, but the game nevers sends you back the same route you left it by. And its probably double the length of ep1. Hurrah!

I'd love to see how the gameplay compares to Halo 3 which I havn't played yet as i'm not a massive fan of playing shooters with a gamepad.

I cant speak highly enough of portal as well. What a puzzle game, the computer ai voice that guides you through is actually very funny and makes you want to beat the puzzles to hear what she's going to say next. also, some of those portal puzzles are quite devious and do your head in at times. nothing like diving into a portal on the floor only tio come out flying of another one on a wall - great fun. Was on it till 2 in the morning last night.

Havn't played TF2 yet as i'm not a massive online gamer, but i'll give it a go over the weekend.

Can anyone name a better value gaming package right now?

get it through Steam for £22

although you do have to install Steam onto your machine, but you will have to anyway if you buy the box.

World in Conflict is pretty excellent if you're looking for a slightly different RTS

Dont think you can install steam on a PS3

I know this game is out so it may not count as new but is bio shock worth the money? I'm hearing good things about it but i'm not convinced.

Being a pc gamer at heart i think its the game of the year along with company of heroes, however if you own a 360 I can see that halo 3 maybe more desirable. As a story tyelling epic bioshock is second to none and the best story driven game since half life (and 2), however as a pure shooter I think halo 3 will beat it. In short if you are after a no holds barred shooter get halo 3 if you want an engrossing single player atmospheric experience then bioshiock it is.

Bioshock has got the highest review scores I can recall seeing - the lowest it scored anywhere so far is 94%. Get it on 360 for the achievements or PC for the better controls (achievements for me)

Other interesting stuff coming up:

MySims on Wii is really great, like a doll's house that you can build yourself. Your wife / girlfriend / kids will love it.

Warhawk looks like it'll take the place of Resistance on PS3. Reminds me a bit of Shadowrun with vehicles and better graphics.

You know a game is going to be graphically excellent when the FMV at the start finishes and you sit there like a lemon until you realise you are in control!

Bioshock demo is available on Xbox Live now. Well worth downloading.

Looks like a contender for game of the year. Played the demo last night, awesome game.

Going to buy it on the PC though, since its available on steam.

possibly, but if the whole weather pattern's knackered, then who knows what we'd get.

On an aside, did anyone listen to FiveLive drive the other night, with some guy from Hull claiming that the government had deliberately flooded the town? I know they're not great, but the Government arent that devious.

Plus, I doubt they are even capabale . Some people would spot a conspiracy at a church fete.

There's bugs and unpolished animations in a demo of a game that won't be out for months yet?

Surely not...

I'm not getting worried about this before it's released and the reviews come in with bad results. I can't WAIT for this game, should be awesome!

Agreed, this is why developers are loath to show off unfinished games. People spot flaws and assume its the finished product.

Development of these games takes a lot of fine tuning. Seriously its all a panic over nothing. If they were touting it as final gameplay footage then I would be worried.