CONTENTS 4 In The News FOREWORD The latest and biggest news from the games industry. The word ‘gaming’ gets tossed around 5 The Games of May a lot these days. Whenever I tell people We highlight some of the biggest releases of the month. what I do for a living, they assume I play Farmville. While I personally have nothing against farming virtual animals, the TOP 10 fact that people use the word “gaming” without actually realizing what it entails 6 Ten Must-buy Multi-platform Games irks me no end. And then you also have Great games available on various platforms. parents, who feel that playing games will turn their children into homicidal maniacs. 10 Ten Must-buy Xbox 360 Games The aim of this month’s All About is 20 Motion Controlled Gaming Explained A selection of games best enjoyed on Microsoft’s box. to clear such misconceptions. To do so, We give you the low down on the Nintendo Wii, we’ve covered a myriad of topics, from PlayStation Move and Microsoft’s Project Natal. 14 Ten Must-buy PS3 Games platform-specifi c must-buy games to our The best PlayStation 3 exclusives you can buy. cover story that delves into the realm of motion-controlled gaming. 18 Ten Must-buy PC Games Whenever I tell We understand that buying games for We’ve picked ten PC games you absolutely must own. your kids can be diffi cult, so we’ve broken people what I do down the age classifi cation ratings for 26 Ten Must-buy PSP Games you, so you can choose the right games Game on the go with these great titles for the PSP. for a living, they for your kids. We’ve also listed a bunch of great online retailers, as well as some of 30 Ten Must-buy iPhone Games assume I play the must-visit gaming websites. Ten of the very best games on the App Store. Lastly, we’ve partnered with Sony to Farmville. give you a chance to win a brand new PS3. 34 Ten Must-buy Wii Games Details are inside, so sit back, relax and Ten great Wii games to fl ail your arms wildly at. prepare to get educated. 38 Ten Must-buy PS2 Games AVINASH BALI The ageing console boasts some timeless classics. 28 Games For Girls A collection of great (i.e: not patronizing and dumbed down) games for the fairer sex. FEATURES CONTESTS 12 Top 3 HDTVs for Gaming Three high-defi nition TVs to suit your gaming needs. 32 Top 3 Sound Systems for Gaming Get the best speaker setup for your gaming rig. COLUMNS 8 Video games don’t make serial killers Drawing the line between gaming and real life. 36 New to gaming? Start with the PS2 Why your fi rst game console should be a PlayStation 2. 16 Amusing Video Game Clichés 33 Win a Brand New PlayStation 3 37 Street Fighter IV 9 2010 FIFA World Cup Like fi lm and TV, games too are riddled with cliches. 40 Gaming Glossary Enter the God of War III Contest and stand a Copies of Super Street Fighter Answer a simple question to Here are some of the most popular ones. Age ratings, gaming lingo, websites and retailers. chance to win a PS3. IV up for grabs. win EA’s latest footie game. ALL ABOUT GAMING | FEATURE 5 In The News The Games of May It’s that time of the year when the rumor mills start buzzing as we approach E3, the biggest gaming event of the The fi rst half of 2010 is set to end with a bang thanks to a slew of blockbuster titles across genres set to year. There are many new games being announced and lots of rumors fl ying around, but here are some of the release in May. Here are some of the games of may that you should keep an eye out for. biggest news stories to have emerged lately. BY AVINASH BALI HALO DEVELOPERS GO MULTI-PLATFORM; THE SIMS 3 COMING TO CONSOLES AND TO CREATE NEW IP HANDHELDS Bungie Studios, best known for creating the The Sims 3, the latest iteration blockbuster fi rst-person of the massively popular and shooter series – Halo, predominantly PC-centric have signed a ten year Sims franchise, is making publishing deal with its way to consoles and Activision, the world’s largest video game publisher. handhelds very soon. The Bungie were, until recently, under the Microsoft banner game is headed to the Xbox and developed games exclusively for PC and Microsoft’s 360, PS3, Wii and DS some Xbox consoles. For us gamers, this deal means that all time this year, and publisher future games developed by Bungie will be published by EA will hope to taste the same Activision, the company behind franchises such as Guitar level of success it did when it Hero, Call of Duty, and Tony Hawk. More importantly, debuted last year on PC, becoming the highest selling this also means that Bungie is now free to develop games game of the year on that platform. for multiple platforms, and Activision’s press release EA aims to leverage the strengths of each console/ announcing this deal also makes mention that Bungie’s handheld in The Sims 3 with platform-specifi c features. ALAN WAKE PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE LOST PLANET 2 MODNATION RACERS releases through Activision will span across platforms. The community aspect will carry forward to the Xbox DEVELOPER: FORGOTTEN SANDS DEVELOPER: DEVELOPER: For Halo fans, however, this probably means that 360 and PS3 versions with a seamlessly integrated Remedy Entertainment Capcom United Front Games Halo: Reach is the last Bungie-developed Halo game, exchange system, where gamers can build and share DEVELOPER: GENRE GENRE GENRE and since Microsoft owns the Halo brand, Bungie their creations and download content from other Ubisoft Montreal Action-Thriller Third-person shooter Racing cannot develop Halo games at Activision. Microsoft players around the world. Players of the Wii version GENRE has already set up an internal studio (343 Industries) will be able to enjoy an all-new beach town with unique PLATFORMS: Action-Adventure PLATFORMS: PLATFORMS: to handle development of future Halo games. It’s also residents, traits, careers and lifetime wishes. On the Xbox 360 PLATFORMS: Xbox 360, PS3 PS3, PSP worth mentioning that while Activision will publish all Nintendo DS, players will be able to use the stylus to RELEASE DATE: Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii, RELEASE DATE: RELEASE DATE: future Bungie games, Bungie will continue to remain build their Sims’ homes, sculpt facial features, choose May 14 DS, PSP May 18 May 21 an independent studio and will own the intellectual hair styles and clothing, and dictate personalities. So properties that it creates. this is a whole lot more than a straight port. RELEASE DATE: May 14 SELECT XBOX 360 GAMES NOW FOR RS 699 Console games are expensive; each of them (on an average) could set you back by Rs 2,500. But if you wait a while, both Xbox 360 and PS3 offer Platinum titles or Best Sellers, which are older games at reduced prices. E-Xpress Interactive is set to release four such Ubisoft titles in India at Rs 699 each, and here’s why you should be excited: Rainbow Six Vegas 2: Vegas 2 is a fi rst-person tactical shooter that sees you and your teammates taking out terrorists in Las Vegas. Besides an enjoyable single-player campaign that can be played in co-op, the game offers a plethora of multiplayer modes as well. Assassin’s Creed: Set in the Holy Land during the crusades, Assassin’s Creed sees players donning the garb of an assassin named Altair, who must rid the land of evil and bring peace and harmony. Splinter Cell: Double Agent: After his daughter’s death, Sam Fisher is a man with nothing to live for. Double Agent was a departure from Splinter Cell conventions, giving players a glimpse of Sam’s darker and more brutal side. RED DEAD REDEMPTION SPLIT/SECOND BLUR UFC 2010: UNDISPUTED Ghost Recon: Advance Warfi ghter 2: Similar to the Rainbow Six series, Advance DEVELOPER: DEVELOPER: DEVELOPER: DEVELOPER: Warfi ghter 2 is a tactical shooter, where players must protect the United States Rockstar Blackrock Studios Bizarre Creations Yukes against terrorist activities conducted by a Mexican rebel group. GENRE GENRE GENRE GENRE Action-Adventure Racing Racing Fighting PLATFORMS: PLATFORMS: PLATFORMS: PLATFORMS: Discuss these and other news stories and rumors at IndianVideoGamer.com, India's largest Xbox 360, PS3 Xbox 360, PS3, PC Xbox 360, PS3, PC Xbox 360, PS3 gaming community. With over 5,000 registered members, IVG is a great place for you to meet other gamers, trade games, organize online gaming sessions, and much more. RELEASE DATE: RELEASE DATE: RELEASE DATE: RELEASE DATE: May 21 May 21 May 28 May 29 ALL ABOUT GAMING | TOP 10 7 Over the course of this issue, we’ll be recommending several top platform-specific games. But here’s a list of the best games that are available on multiple platforms. 10 Must-buy Multi-platform Games BY AVINASH BALI ASSASSIN’S CREED II BIOSHOCK Assassin’s Creed was an interesting idea, but thanks to repetitive A spiritual successor to System Shock, BioShock was a shooter (with gameplay, it never quite managed to capitalize on its innovative setting. minor RPG elements) that immersed players in a dystopian society Ubisoft listened to all the criticism and improved on every facet of called Rapture. A brilliant story, immersive gameplay and gorgeous gameplay in the sequel, making it one of the fi nest open-world games.