Splinter Cell - but with vampires. Sounds so good, doesnt it? Its no wonder that early word of the Japanese stealther made us feel like kids at Christmas. But our review of the Japanese version was as disappointing and upsetting as waking up on December 25th to find that Santas not only used your stocking as a toilet but wiped his ass on the curtains too. And now its our duty to simply restate the fact: this game hates you, and wants you to have a bad time. Rain follows the exploits of a ...
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May 8, 2007

Vampire's Rain [import]

360 Review

Were going to get straight to the point: Vampires Rain is a wretched game. It hates you, it insults you as a gamer and it plain doesnt want you to enjoy playing your 360. Forget any twinge of excitement you may have felt from the trailer, or the whiff of promise that wafts out of the Splinter Cell-meets-Dracula concept - this is a game to avoid like Marmite-flavored herpes. Why so bad? Its tough to know where to start. The horrible, unrelenting grayness of it all is the most immediate problem. ...
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May 26, 2009

Velvet Assassin

360 Review

The story of Violette Szabo, the real ‘Velvet Assassin’, is a deeply unhappy one. She was an Allied secret agent during World War II, but in the middle of only her second mission she was captured, tortured, abused and eventually executed. The perfect story, sixty-six years later, to make a videogame about then. ...

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Dec 15, 2008

Vigilante 8: Arcade - Xbox Live Arcade

360 Review

360 - Vigilante 8: Arcade - Xbox Live Arcade - Vigilante 8 - Xbox Live Arcade

Some people like car combat games. They’re weird folk. Attaching guns to cars is a fad that’s had its day. Even with the HD spit and polish Vigilante 8 shows its age, but it’s a decent, mindless rampage online for the converted. As we say, some people do like car combat games, and this is the best one on 360. ...

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Mar 25, 2008

Viking: Battle for Asgard

360 Review

360 - Viking: Battle for Asgard - Viking: Battle for Asgard

You don’t judge your progress in Viking by high scores, percentage complete or rankings. You measure it in blisters - that old school badge of honour. The more pus you have swilling round beneath your swollen fingertips, the more pallid thick white skin that’s built up on your digits, the harder you’ve fought. Because in this game if you can still feel your thumbs midway through the first level, you aren’t ...
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Oct 30, 2007

Virtua Fighter 5

360 Review

Oct 29, 2007 After all that “only PS3 can do Virtua Fighter 5” talk, were proud to say the 360 version is graphically superior - by some margin, in fact. Truthfully, the 360 sheen is so apparent in a direct HDMI cable switch comparison, its like looking at Soul Calibur 2 on Xbox compared to PS2. VF5s here, online, and all is right with the ...
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Jun 3, 2009

Virtua Tennis 2009

360 Review

360 - Virtua Tennis 2009 - Virtua Tennis 2009

There’s more chance of Andy Murray cracking a smile and sorting out his big hair than there is of spotting what’s new about Virtua Tennis 2009 when you first start playing. For the past ten years the series has consistently played an excellent game of tennis, and while the player likenesses get better and sharper, everything else has an air of ‘if it ain’t broke…’ about it. ...

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Mar 20, 2007

Virtua Tennis 3

360 Review

This will make you love tennis. No, really. Even if you loathe the sport and grit your teeth when Wimbledon distorts the TV schedules, Virtua Tennis 3 is so realistic that it forces you to appreciate the sports intricacies - in a stealthy education dressed as addiction. And while the latest game in the much-loved series is no massive departure - its still a tennis game, for instance - theres enough new gameplay tweaks and content to tempt veterans as well as newcomers. It looks like an ...
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Nov 9, 2006

Viva Pinata

360 Review

If you think Viva Pinata is just a silly kids' game that's not worth your hardcore gaming time, you're probably right. Viva Pinata is a very special game that won't appeal to gamers only interested in adrenaline-fueled bullet fests. If you've got an open mind, however, you'll find a uniquely addictive and pleasantly colorful change of pace that scratches that Animal Crossing itch without all the hassle of little dogs yelling at you for not playing in a couple days. You start with a ramshackle ...
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Nov 1, 2007

Viva Pinata: Party Animals

360 Review

Nov 1, 2007 A delightful treat for those open-minded enough to give it a try, the original Viva Pinata surprised us with its addictive garden cultivating gameplay. Unfortunately, if you're looking for anything even remotely similiar in Viva Pinata: Party Animals, prepare to be surprised again. Although Party Animals retains its predecessor's visual appeal, the similarities between the two end there. In fact, Party Animals seems to be the opposite of the original Viva Pinata in just about every ...
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