merry christmas from the gameon mag team ISSUE 6 WELCOME meet the team In light of the christmas 2 • The Games Of 2008 spirit, we’ve created this project director mini-issue for you to enjoy 4 • The Month In News steve greenfield in the few days before Santa (Rasher) comes down your chimney, 5 • Game Releases for January and leaves a present or chief editor two under your tree. 6 • MMORPGs... steven dawson (djdawsonuk) The GameOn magazine 8 • Review: Spore team wish you a Merry graphics editor Christmas, and all the 10 • Review: Left 4 Dead simon bonds best for the new year! (Si^) 12 • Review: Sonic Unleashed graphics artist robert whetton (Bobster) THE EDITOR journalists chris wakefield (evilgiraffeman) pete o’brien (POBMaestro) neil hetherington (Wedgeh) johan dahlberg (Jozii) stuart gunn (Gunn (LA)) mohamed magdy (solidsnake) linda greenfield (Mrs. Rasher) Disclaimer: The content featured throughout this magazine may contain links to your forum where there may be unsuitable language for children or those of a sensitive nature. We highly suggest that you are at least of the age 13 to visit the forums or click the links within the magazine. ARTICLE THE GAMES OF 2008 As 2008 draws to a close, this year has Satisfyingly, the recent trend for co-op wasn’t refined with smashing entertainment values. brought a great selection of games. We have just a lazy gimmick but an essential gameplay Commended for being accessible to beginners seen the release of some huge sequels, the element which helps to separate this game from and veterans of the series, Super Smash Bros. resurrection of some old franchises as well as the pack. You are forced to work together to Brawl also provides extraordinary staying some truly magnificent creative innovations. simply survive and are constantly challenged by power on solo and multiplayer modes alike. Gaming is constantly growing and evolving Valve’s ingenious AI “Director” who controls the and is now recognised as an important challenge you face. By offering a different game LittleBigPlanet part of the media, with sales revenue each time you play, as well as the trademark This much needed PlayStation 3 exclusive was continually putting to shame Hollywood polish Valve is known for, Left 4 Dead is definitely a revelation on release. Whilst many expected blockbusters. We hope this recap brings a game that you should experience and should be something good, what we got was something back some memories from the year and the supported by a wealth of content in the future. truly special. A well refined platform game at hopes that 2009 can be better than ever. heart, the game naturally gives you a wealth Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 of levels to try with a huge number of awards Fallout 3 Always managing to put a smile on your face available. However, the real beauty of the title was This was a glorious sequel which while remaining tactically adept, Red Alert 3 in the creation and sharing of your own levels, as managed to reinvent one of gaming’s pleasurably continues the successful trend of its well as trying out some of the frankly bizarre ideas greatest series as a textbook example of two predecessors. The highly amusing full motion other people have had. The ability to try levels how an RPG game should be done. videos return with superb casting and production from any region, Europe, Asia or North America Bethesda managed to live up to the huge values, with paranormal schoolgirls and is great and helps to reduce the usual notions of expectations placed on the game before lightsaber wielding samurai’s reminding us of the regional lockdown. With an enormous amount of release and delivered something which was extremely ridiculous originality which made us replayability, LittleBigPlanet is a title which looks dark, rich and perhaps most importantly: fun. fall in love with the series. The gameplay remains set to build on its already strong community. Using a 1950s alternate timeline meant that largely untouched from previous outings, but you the game’s atmosphere was perfect and clever can now play the whole single-player campaign World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King touches helped to make the post-apocalyptic co-operatively online, and let’s not forget the The second expansion to the extremely nuclear wasteland a joy to explore. The level soundtrack which has you screaming to Hell addictive MMORPG could have easily just of detail was exceptional and the sheer size March once again. This all means that while Red cashed in on the aforesaid addiction, but instead of the game world, alongside a variety of Alert 3 isn’t genre defining, it is a whole lot of fun. provides superior quality and polish, showing approaches meant this was one of the best why World of Warcraft is the best in its class. titles of the year. Additional content released Grand Theft Auto IV The graphics and audio remain dependably almost monthly has been announced in early Rockstar could have easily thrown anything solid, but it’s the gameplay where the real 2009 for the PC and Xbox 360 to add even together and put a Grand Theft Auto title on success of the series remains. Adding a large more to an already outstanding game. it and people would have bought it in their new snow and ice continent, Northrend, the thousands. Yet, despite an underwhelming Wrath of the Lich King also contains the first Mario Kart Wii PC conversion, the game was an astonishing complete player versus player (PvP) zone in Fun and frolics in surplus measures make achievement. Creating an incredibly detailed and Wintergrasp, which provides large scale assaults Mario Kart Wii an envious Wii exclusive. believable game world was something Rockstar with a fresh and exciting pace. With a new Wonderful presentation and pleasant graphics managed, with Liberty City seeming to live and story and class to play, plus a more interesting provide a layer of sheen on top of Nintendo’s breathe with a sense of familiarity. Creating a levelling process, players have little hope of excellent gameplay, which adds new features darker story with some more complex characters escaping their addiction in the near future. from previous outings and succeeds in was a brave decision, and whilst this sometimes creating a more enjoyable experience. felt at odds with the satire, the story was never Rock Band 2 and Guitar Hero: World Tour A huge range of tracks and well known boring. The addition of 15 multiplayer modes was After the phenomenal success of Guitar Hero characters are joined in harmonious matrimony an inspired addition, if only for the chance to get III and Rock Band, the rival franchises were with superbly addictive online racing. together with friends and cause some havoc. bound to fight it out in the sequels.W hilst The battle mode and AI have been criticised, but Super Smash Bros. Brawl there was much criticism over the outrageous it isn’t enough to knock this off track and spoil The third instalment of the mighty Super price for the European version in comparison the hours of good laughs on offer. The bundled Smash Bros. legacy is especially worthy of the with other regions, the games themselves Wii Wheel works well and helps make this a must impressive critical triumphs it has received. were well received and sold enormously. have for all Wii owners looking for a great time. Bringing together a fine selection of Nintendo With a degree of controversy over which favourites like Link and Wario, and also third- title was better, the consensus is Rock Band Left 4 Dead party characters such as Sonic the Hedgehog, 2 due to a generally better soundtrack Since Valve announced a co-operative online Super Smash Bros. Brawl is a grand exclusive and and better notation for songs. zombie survival title in 2006, gamers have been pinnacle for the Nintendo Wii. The outstanding However, in a good move by both publishers, excited. Two years later, the wait was definitely musical score and sound effects will bring back instruments are cross compatible with the worthwhile as Left 4 Dead is an adrenaline- and generate new fond memories, whilst the other games meaning you don’t have to splash fuelled throwback to every zombie B-Movie. elation of the traditional gameplay is even more out even more money on new pheriphals. ARTICLE THE GAMES OF 2008 In the long run, it remains to be seen if the many like a step backward after the outstanding craft and construction creators proving the most popularity of these games will continue, but fourth instalment, but the game was engaging popular with the large Spore community, who, at the moment they can do little wrong. and the multiplayer was still enjoyable and despite critically acclaimed success, often dub entertaining. The inclusion of co-op was a wise Spore as a “dull and repetitive experience.” Burnout Paradise move helping to make the campaign more The fifth in the long standing high octane enjoyable with a group of mates supporting Tomb Raider Underworld racer series brings with it an open city to drift you, and the revive feature helped to ease the Crystal Dynamics intelligent re-imagining of the around. While the lack of retry options and otherwise irritating difficulty curve. The jury Tomb Raider series continued with this excellent reliance on using the map brought criticism, remains out on the “Nazi Zombies” mini-game: sequel to Legend, which also picks up on some Burnout Paradise is still the fastest racing game outstanding and hilarious multiplayer mode or elements of Anniversary, their remake of the out there and one of the most enjoyable too.