Gaming consoles: A look at three latest offerings

A different ball game

New titles enter the market all the time. we take a look at the three latest offerings we consider most promising.

The going has never been so good for gamers across the world. New titles are hitting the shelf with regularity, and what’s even better is that they cover almost all genres. Titles in action, strategy, sports and horror have recently been made available on almost all consoles, like the Xbox, PlayStation2 (PS2), PS3 and PSP. Some of them are updated versions of existing series, while a few new ones have also been launched. Most of the games are priced between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,800. We check out the three new games which promise to be the most exciting of the fresh lot that’s hit the market.

FIFA'09
EA Sports, the biggest gaming company in the world, two weeks ago released FIFA’09. A new version is launched every year and its latest version doesn’t disappoint avid gamers one bit. With excellent graphics and an attention to minute detail, this installment is a massive improvement on previous editions. The company claims that it has made 250 changes from the earlier version, and though one isn’t quite sure about the exact number, the game is certainly much better than the the ’08 version.

Unlike previous versions, the all-new “Custom Team” tactics allow you to have total control over the positioning of players as well as to decide how the team actually plays. One of the most impressive aspects is that when, as a defender, you jump for a high ball, there are options available like whether you jump for it or lean into the opposition player or simply pull away as well, making the game all the more real.

One can play through leagues, cups and tournaments alone or with friends, and there is an additional feature, the Adidas Live Data League system, under which a team’s statistics are reflected in weekly updates. For instance, if Lionel Messi is scoring goals for Barcelona in real time, then those statistics get reflected in FIFA’09. Similarly, if you choose to be Petr Cech in FIFA’09, and if he is in poor form for Chelsea, the chances of you conceding goals in the game would be high as well. The interplay between real and gameplay makes it much more exciting.

Apart from gameplay, controls and methods, you have the option of creating your own player under the “Be A Pro” segment. This allows you to control the player created by you totally and the camera pans mostly to that player’s movements during the game. Apart from being able to focus on your creation, the segment allows you to be creative with the player’s persona, right down to how his hair, clothes and face should look.

I could go on and on about the game, but one thing is for sure — you won’t get bored after a few weeks of playing it, which is more than could have been said for previous editions. A game has to hold the attention of an avid gamer for quite a few months!

NEED FOR SPEED: UNDERCOVER
The first thing you notice about the latest instalment of the Need For Speed (NFS) franchise is the vehicle list. It is extremely impressive, with about 55 cars including the Audi TT, as well as supercars such as the Bugatti Veyron. After this discovery, the rest is a bit disappointing. The designers seem to have taken the best bits out of earlier versions and put them into this so-called new version.

The graphics are good, and so are the in-game lighting and sound effects. But if you have played versions like Pro Street, then this game won’t keep your attention for long. It has all the basic elements which you expect from NFS but you do get the feeling that there is something missing.

Undercover lacks edge-of-the-seat action moments, and there are very few occasions when you have to think quickly on your feet to get out of sticky situations. Where versions like ProStreet scored was in providing situations where your skill actually came in handy. This lack of challenge may bore an experienced gamer.

Overall, the game doesn’t have too many things which will keep gamers on their lounging chairs for too long. It’s only for die-hard NFS fanatics; the rest might find it a bit tedious.

MIRROR'S EDGE
After a very long time, I have found a game which totally had me craving for more and also left me with sore fingers. Five hours of non-stop play can do that to you, but then Mirrors’ Edge is a game which ticks all the boxes for gamers.

The game is about Faith, a supergal who has to fight the bad guys all over the city. You — as Faith — can run, walk and leap on the streets, jump across rooftops, go through the sewers, create havoc inside office buildings. Faith knows Parkour and uses it to great effect. She has weapons as well, but that

I felt slowed her pace down a bit.

The game takes you through 10 chapters. Most of them are quite compelling and gamers will find it tough to stay away from them. One of the few negatives is that the actual combat is a bit of a let-down. Most of the time you have to escape from your attackers, so it doesn’t matter too much, although die-hard action enthusiasts might be disappointed.

The plot of the game could have been better, but the developers have kept it simple and adopted a cliched storyline: defeat the government, find the killer and then rescue a family member (in this case, Faith’s sister Katie) who has been wrongly charged for murder.

Though one can’t ignore the done-to-death plot, the game actually makes up for it in other respects. Highly recommended, although the two other friends I spoke with weren’t too impressed. But still, it’s a totally different game, so you can play it for the novelty factor alone.