If the impending sunny weather and free-time of another pitiless summer is getting you down, you'll be happy to know that there'll still be a way to fight it out on the go. THQ's second foray into invertebrate battle is hitting a portable system near you, in the form of Worms: Open Warfare 2, and it's very much the same classic game that has made engaging in strategic warfare cuddly and addictive for well over a decade. For those who haven't been drafted onto the squirmy battle field of Worms ...
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8 May 2007

Driver '76

PSP Preview | Driver 76

Ubisofts first step at trying to kick-start the stalling Driver series is this PSP game that acts as prequel to Driver: Parallel Lines, and is set two years before. Just like previous games its a mix of driving and on-foot action with 27 missions divided up between six major plot strands. New for the Driver series are multi-player options that allow you to test your driving skills against others using the PSPs Wi-Fi capabilities. Theres straight street racing, a Destruction Derby challenge and ...
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7 May 2007

Crush - hands-on

PSP Preview | Crush

Crush, as we saw in our earlier look, is a puzzle-meets-platformer blend with an intriguing twist. The gist of the gameplay is that you must alternate between 2D and 3D perspectives in order to progress through each level. It's easy to make comparisons to Super Paper Mario, because both games switch from 2D to 3D with the touch of a button. While it lacks Mario's visual appeal, Crush expands on the interdimensional idea creatively, allowing players to take multiple camera angles (or points of ...
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29 Apr 2007

Dungeons & Dragons Tactics - hands-on

PSP Preview | Dungeons & Dragons: Tactics

Even though it has the word "tactics" in the title, even though it's packed with familiar-looking grid-based strategy, there's no other portable game quite like Dungeons & Dragons Tactics. Meticulous enough for the most hardcore D&D fans, Tactics squeezes in several books' worth of rulemongering tabletop knowledge while still managing to be accessible for fans who just want to roll up some barbarians and kill some monsters already. We've already talked up D&D Tactics' extensive features and ...
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27 Apr 2007

Manhunt 2 - first look

PSP Preview | Manhunt 2

We'll just go ahead and cut to the chase for those of you who've been following the development of Manhunt 2: we've seen the infamous bit where a guy gets his testicles and one of his vertebrae removed by a pair of wire cutters, and yes, it's nasty. Not as nasty as the scene playing out in your head right now - the actual gore is limited to spraying blood and horrible fleshy wrenching noises - but nasty nonetheless. We've also seen a pen broken off in a man's throat, a sex-hotel receptionist ...
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26 Apr 2007

Jeanne d'Arc

PSP Preview | Jeanne d'Arc

Fans of history will know Joan of Arc as the most famous figure to emerge from the Hundred Years War – take that, John of Lancaster, First Duke of Bedford! - a young girl who used what she called visions from God to help the French in battle against occupying English forces. But what do gamers know about the upcoming PSP title named after her? Well, Jeanne dArc follows squarely in the footsteps of heroes of the tactical RPG genre like Disgaea and Final Fantasy Tactics. Theres nothing here ...
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25 Apr 2007

Transformers: The Game

PSP Preview | Transformers: The Game

Licensed games have a bad enough reputation, but when they also happen to be movie tie-ins for potential summer blockbusters? Well, that type of game usually falls somewhere between dysentery and an autographed photo of Bob Saget on The List of Things Gamers Would Most Like to Acquire. That is to say, expectations generally arent too high. Fortunately, Transformers: The Game is being developed by Travellers Tales, the very same folks behind the well-received Lego Star Wars titles. In choosing ...
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25 Apr 2007

Hands-on with handhelds - Touch the Dead, Diner...

PSP Preview | Zendoku

The very first thing you see when entering their lobby is a curvaceous statue of Lara Croft. The second thing? An intimidating life-size replica of Hitman's Agent 47. But gaming publisher Eidos is offering more than just testosterone and other hormone-driven action games this year. They've also got a surprising number of mainstream-friendly handheld titles in the lineup. The games are simple and straightforward... are they also addictive? We dropped by their offices earlier this week to find ...
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23 Apr 2007

Silent Hill Origins - updated impressions

PSP Preview | Silent Hill: Origins

When we last saw Silent Hill Origins, it was something of an abomination, and we don't mean that in a good way. Sure, it was kind of cool to see the series go all Resident Evil 4, with an over-the-shoulder view and a bigger focus on action, but it wasn't scary, and it sure as hell wasn't Silent Hill. A lot of fans didn't react well to the gameplay shift, and for months, rumors circulated that the game had been canceled. It turns out the rumors were half-right. Silent Hill Origins, or at least ...
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19 Apr 2007

SWAT: Target Liberty - hands-on

PSP Preview | SWAT: Target Liberty

The venerable SWAT series is kicking down the PSP's door this fall with SWAT: Target Liberty, a tactical squad shooter that'll task players with rescuing hostages and taking down terrorists in a race to save New York City. Rather than try to squeeze the SWAT series' first-person action onto the PSP, though, Target Liberty takes the Killzone: Liberation route, with an overhead 3D perspective and somewhat simplified action. The early version we played was pretty easy to get into. You'll make ...
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