The PS3 Slim is essentially just like your standard PS3, it comes with a Blu-Ray player, DVD upscaler and everything else you would expect. Sony did however remove the feature of installing another operating system, Linux, and backwards compatibility isn’t there. That aside the Slim is a sexy, quieter, lighter model compared to its predecessors. The hard drive is bigger, twice the size of the first model and it sounds as quiet as Agent 47.

My first impressions of the slim, when it was revealed at Gamescom were not good. I didn’t like the look of it and I missed the glossy piano finish. Looking at it now in my room, makes it look as good as any other console, if not better.

My previous Playstation cost me about £500, with two games when it was first released, and to be honest wasn’t the greatest piece of hardware I’d bought. Now times seem to have changed, Sony has mended the issues I used to dislike (although some still remain), with the release of the Slim, the future looks bright.

The PS3 I bought two years ago was on its way out, the Ethernet port and Wi-Fi adapter weren’t working at %100.  So I traded the console in and got £180 off.

The slim put me on the Net as every console should, the words plug and play actually had a meaning to them. Finally I didn’t have to slave over internet connectivity.

My old PS3 used to heat my room like a radiator, so hot that I bought a tower fan to cool me down. The slim sounds very quiet and the heat produced is at a minimum. I can play for hours without even having to open a window.

The hard drive is big enough for all of your multi-media needs, boosting 120GB’s of storage. Such a high number from such a small machine is very impressive.

Sadly Sony didn’t include backwards compatibility which is a real shame. PS3 games aren’t cheap and PS1/PS2 games can produce just as much enjoyment that Playstation 3 games offer. A feature that could have easily been included in the console and hopefully will be, if possible, in a future Firmware update.

Around the back of the console there is a HDMI port for high definition gaming, like the previous. Sadly Sony still don’t include their own HDMI cable in the box. Instead you’ll have to buy one. Included in the box is the standard AV cable for standard viewing, a HDMI cable wouldn’t go a miss.

All in all the PS3 Slim is a far better gaming experience than the last, for me anyway. It’s Quieter, slimmer, lighter, less heat is produced all of which are qualities my previous model couldn’t match, however the lack of backwards compatibility is something it could and throwing that away wasn’t easy.

Price  9/10

Features  8.7/10

Design  8.5/10

Hard Drive  9/10

Overall 8.6/10

By Dan-Whitesnake

This isn't the mini me of Unreal Tournament III as it may initially seem, yes it is powered by the same engine, it also adopts the trademark cut scenes, and the game focuses almost entirely on the mulitplayer.  For all of its flashy comic style cut scenes, the story comes down to a basic one, mainly of you and a few bots slugging it out in a variety of grim industrial arenas.

But wait; before you go off and buy something else remember that just like Unreal Tournament III the game will come to life in mulitplayer and that just so happens to be the case. The aiming is pure twitch making for a light fast paced play with plenty of respawns, power-ups, so between the games on Call of duty 4 and killing some Nazi zombies on World at war, it comes in handy for a quick break and is well worth its £6.29 value.

By Richard Blomer

ETA: Out now     Pub: Zen

If you own Battlefield 1943 then you may have heard about the Coral Sea map which is unlocked once the community has a cumulative 43 million kills...and we did it! But the main thing people ask: “is this new map any good?” I’m here to give you another reason why you should buy this game, in a short review of the map.

Well from what I have played from it, it’s pretty impressive and this map is only for planes which means... DOG FIGHTS! And they work really well along with the beautiful landscape as seen above.

In the new “Air Superiority” game mode teams gain points by staying in a highlighted part of the map and because almost everyone in the team is doing this its mayhem! But if you’re not the best in flying these tricky to handle planes then you can stay back on the freighter and shot them down with the emplaced turrets.

But remember to enjoy the intense and amazing experience you have to download it off the Playstation store which is only £9.99! That’s DLC money! So what are you waiting for? Go download it now and join the battle AND get Coral Sea as well!

by Adam North

Call of Juarez, the game that started the series, was a typical western shooter. Most claimed its levels were frustrating and boring. It received very poor rating, and was an overall flop. You may see this and use it as an excuse not to play the second game. You would be crazy not to play it!

Singleplayer - Call of Juarez: Bound In Blood revolves around three brothers, two of them playable. The first is Tom, a sneaky rifleman. His other brother, Ray, is a gunslinger with revolvers. The third brother, William, works at the church. He tells the story between chapters, much like Resistance:Fall of Man did with the narrating woman. The story unfolds as this: Ray and Tom are on the Confederate side of the American Civil War. They are in the final days of the war, trying to push back the Union Army and save their home. As they are fighting, their leader Barnsby orders them to leave and fight another battle fifty miles away, leaving their home and family to die. They refuse and become deserters of the Confederate Army, leaving to protect their home. Barnsby swears revenge on them and wants them to hang. They eventually find that their house has been overrun, and destroyed. This leads into the whole point of the story. The brothers go on a search for the legendary Aztec gold of Mexico to rebuild their farm and home. Along the way is a lot of trouble, including soldiers and bandits. You can play as either Tom or Ray, which has little to no effect on the story. Ray is stronger, can kick down doors, and is better with guns. Tom is sneakier, better with longshots with a rifle, and can use a lasso to climb up objects. The game really is very great in the way the fighting goes. There is a cover system included, much like Killzone 2’s, which allows you to hide behind boxes and peak out to shoot. You can also enter concentration mode, which allows you to kill multiple enemies at once. It is basically a way to show how good the two brothers are with guns. There are also standoff modes, which allow you to have a standoff with a boss type character. You have to reach for your gun and shoot the boss when a bell goes off. It is rather fun, and can be quite challenging sometimes. Feature like this really make the game all that much better. You can even buy better guns during the game, instead of just picking random guns up off of enemies! The game has come quite a long way from the original Call of Juarez!

Multiplayer - There are five different multiplayer modes in the game. 

Shootout: Wild West-style deathmatch based on bounty instead of frags. Kill all the others, and don't let them kill you!                                          

Posse: Two teams fight against each other. When all the members of a team are killed, the team loses. 

Wanted: Only the wanted can gain points for killing. The player can score by killing the Wanted. The player that kills the Wanted becomes wanted himself.            

Wild West Legends: One of the teams has several objectives to complete; Some can be completed in different ways, some are optional. The opposing team is trying to prevent completion of the objectives within the time limit. Levels are strongly themed on real historical events.

Manhunt: There are two teams and one wanted player-the top player in one of the teams. If the wanted player survives for 60 seconds, the team scores. When the wanted player is killed, a new Wanted player from the opposing team is assigned(the top player on that team).

The multiplayer is nothing new, but with the wild west twist it certainly seems more fun! There are several different classes to play as, including Rifleman, Gunslinger, Native, Sniper, Officer, Gunsmith, and many more. They are all different, and have perks and downfalls. You can temporarily upgrade each class to give you a boost in the game, or permanently upgrade them for quite a bit of money. The one downfall is that it cost quite a bit of money to unlock a new class. For example, an Officer cost $50,000, but you only make between $500-$3000 a game, depending on the match. There are a few problems with multiplayer I should point out. This was not a very hyped game as because of its reputation, so there are not too many matches online(there are enough, so don't worry). It also seems to once and a while freeze, and is known for hit detection fails. As stated before, nothing new, but quite fun with the different maps and tons of classes. There are, I believe 5-7 maps with more on the way. All are pretty big, and resemble American Wild West type towns.

Graphics/Engine - The graphics are truly outstanding in this game. Everyone’s faces look extremely realistic. This game cna definitely be compared with Killzone 2. It uses the Chrome Engine 4, a really decent FPS engine. The guns look amazing, and everything truly looks great. It is a feast or the eyes, from the horses getting wet and soaked fur, to the blood that splatters out of an enemies head.

Final Verdict - It had a terrible reputation from the first game, but it really pulled through. This game is worth every penny! The story is very good, and the gunfights are amazing! Things like shootout duals, 13 different multiplayer classes, riding horses, and a great story move this away from other FPS games I would say this is the best western game for years. It raised the bar for FPS and western games alike. The game definitely deserves an 8.5.

8.5/10

The gameplay is very unique as you take on such famous ghosts as the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and Slimer. When catching a ghost you create absolute destruction. Which is fun! And once you've caught your first ghost (Slimer) in the tutorial level of the game you feel as if you've accomplished something huge. Fire your proton beam until you have your ghost, then quickly slide a trap underneath him and once the ghosts energy levels are low you can slam them into the trap. You may even get a little dizzy watching your proton beams moving all over the place to wrangle the ghosts into position.

As this is a video game and you play as the new game, you are the experiment. So your given a new gadget at the start of every level. Different types of beams are for different types of ghost and you will gradually learn a lot more than you think you could as you progress through the game.

The PKE Meter is a very helpful device as it helps identify new ghouls with it's scanner. It can also identify collectables, clues and enemies through the game. The not so much highlight of the game is the first-person night vision which takes the third-person feeling out of the game and it does disturb the game slightly but not for long at all.

The game should certainly be welcomed by consoles as it isn’t just alright like most games made from movies; it's good and verging on brilliant. The graphics are excellent even though the PS3 version isn't as polished as the 360 but not to worry it is still a good game. It's a decent length for any game and is probably worth the £40/$80 that it will be selling for. You will be pleasantly surprised with this game.

 Score - 8/10

You ask yourself questions whilst looking down on a troubled New York City. Should I go in hard and tear everything to pieces or a quieter approach? Should I use a helicopter or a tank to destroy everything? Whichever decision you make, you will feel rewarded afterwards.

Almost the very first thing you do in Prototype is kill a lot of people. The game opens in Time Square, New York City and everything surrounding you is exploding from buildings to manholes, tanks are firing at mutants which are leaping from the cities billboards whilst you (Alex Mercer_,  are in the middle of everything chopping literally everything and everyone into pieces.

The structure of the game heavily resembles other games like GTA IV and Assassins Creed. Your free to roam anywhere at any time through the game from the moment you start playing. Side missions are dotted all over the map which resembles either side-missions or min-games. Mission markers are yellow and are available to be activated at any time. The games full missions will reveal who Alex Mercer actually is as you slowly progress through the game. Be warned, as there are a lot of twists in the plot. You will meet different characters through the game who know more about the viral outbreak of mutants. You then have the ability to absorb into these characters and find out what they know.

At the start of the game you will only have the ability to simply run and jump and as you progress and experiment through the game, you will earn Experience Points (EP) which you will then be able to upgrade Mercer in almost any way you want.

Consuming people will be a great experience for any gamer as you will be able to sneak into military bases and you can also upgrade to a stealth costume. Another excellent tactic against military bases by attracting attention to a mutant which will distract enemy fire and possibly the best ability of all is that if you steal the right identity you can order in artillery strikes onto your enemy bases or virus hives. Boosting Mercer’s strength is a must as he’ll be able to pick up heavier objects with more force and with the ‘Spiderman-like’ webbing Mercer has you will be able to pull heavier objects such as helicopters to the ground or you could catch a ride.

During the game you will be involved in some excellent boss fights with the best one possibly being the first one where you have an epic battle in the centre of a viral hive. At this point Mercer’s blades feel terrible to control but don’t worry as you will get used to them.

The mini-games featured in the game are also exceptional with five game types (Kill, War, Consume, Movement and Glide). In kill you simply kill as many mutants or military personals but with military devices such as tanks or helicopters. War is a lot like Kill except you don’t use military devices. Consume is where you have to locate and consume a certain character. Movement is simply a range of races around the city and finally Glide is where a target is set on the map and you must leap from the roof of a building, glide and land as close as possible to the target. The closer you get, the more EP you are rewarded with and it’s easier the next time around.

The game is superb, and offers so many ways to play it, with so much carnage and fun in it, you can’t go wrong. The only blank point is no co-op or multiplayer. You’ll be experimenting the game for months to come.

My Score – 9/10

Written by  Miles Jolliffe

inFAMOUS is the story of Cole, a messenger who is directed to deliver a package, secretly designed as a bomb. He is the sole survivor of an electric explosion, which ultimately gives him amazing electric based powers. He learns that the city, Empire City, has been shut down by the U.S government to contain the biochemical explosion and mutated people.

The town has fallen into chaos, with local gangs rising to the top to control the city. The government has given up on you, barely giving enough supplies to the people.  After awakening Cole finds out, Thanks to a local broadcaster, that he is the cause of the explosion, which turns the people against him. He tries to escape the city and reach freedom, but is captured by Moya, a high ranking government official. He is then forced to find the Ray Sphere, a mysterious unknown device. Along the way, you also have mini quests to complete, which are all mixed up and very fun.

The game is very close to The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, which has the same basic mini quests and main plot gameplay. They give more to do besides just the quest for the Ray Sphere. Some are based on choice, such as choosing how you are represented in the city. Others are just beating up baddies. This develops into the great part of the game. You can choose to either become a hero, and save the city from ultimate doom, or become infamous and destroy it. The game is very enjoyably because it is based upon your personal morals and views. You can either have people fear you, or love you.

The game is basically a sandbox style adventure game, with some very detailed graphics. You have to relight the city in some scenarios, giving you more advanced powers. You can throw electric grenades, glide on wires, shoot electric, snipe, and many other enjoyable powers. Whether you choose to become infamous or a hero, these choices change your powers. 

The town is split into several sections, with different bad guys in each including The Dust Men, Reapers, and Soldiers. Your powers are very weak in hurting them, so strategy is a must. The game really sets new boundaries for Sandbox games, whether it is grinding around the city, or the overall plot. It is very different than GTA, and more fun.

Although a Sand Box game, it feels like it has never been done before. Expect to get annoying phone calls like in Grand Theft Auto 4 because they play a huge part in the plot.

Pros- The games graphics are really amazing, and the electric powers come out very clear and nice. The games double storyline also make is a very enjoyable game, and enhances the replay value. It feels like it has never been done before, and it was great.

Cons- At times, Cole claims he is weak and the games graphics get blurry. This is rather annoying, and could be just be an excuse by Sucker Punch. Another problem is that the powers you have are really weak. They are terrible! And there is no multiplayer, which brings the score down a bit

Verdict- I give this game a 9/10.

Its a really awesome game and feels like its never been done before. I think its a great addition to anyone’s PS3 library.

The Godfather II took a step away from the GTA style of killing and you know what instead it took the more monopoly approach. You start off by being picked by Michael Corleone to become the Don, to run the family business. You get to customize your character Dominic in any way you like. Missions are given to you one by one as you create crimes for the greater good of your family, in term giving you a name in the maps of New York City and Florida. Dominic is a likeable guy but you don’t want him as an enemy, if you treat is family right and respect them well they will do the same back in your favour.

Here is the bit you’ve been waiting for. A new feature in the game is the Dons view, in this mode you can keep track of your businesses, and how many guards are protecting your warehouses and other buildings. What do I think of this feature? Well, the Dons view is a great attribute in the game that real pulls off the strategic feel, as I mentioned earlier, and it really makes you think about which move to make next and how that will in turn affect the rest of the cities gangs and businesses.

The graphics are good, not awesome, but not awful. They are for sure an upgrade from the last games graphics. The one thing I really loved about the games graphics was the explosions; they really captured the full detail and ferocity of a loud BANG!

Online play is good but not revolutionary. It contains 6 maps and you can play with up to 16 people which extends the value of this game by a bit.

The game play is somewhat like Grand Theft Auto but with a mafia twist which makes it unique and interesting in many ways throughout. The game is quite a nice improvement from the last in many ways. This in my opinion is enough to buy the full copy rather than rent it.

My Verdict is 7.8/10

By: Andre Fischbacher

Posted By Mike

The story is divided into 6 chapters and is set in Africa where you, Chris Redfield, 35 from the BSAA North American Branch are sent there for an investigation in a Shanty town partnered up with Sheva Alomar, 25 from the BSAA South African Branch. The Zombies are mindless and life sucking freaks and the bosses are downright strong and have a large health bar and various weapons (like chainsaws, throwing knives etc.) .As you go through Africa blowing Zombies heads off and exploring you meet important town leaders and people who know about the disease that has been sweeping the towns. As you progress through the game you find out about mysterious happenings that you must solve. 

This game has definitely created higher standards for horror games and has shown off the capabilities of the Playstation 3's great power. 

In the end this is a title that you must have on your shelve. This game has definitely got awards ahead for itself in the next VGA 2009 and probably has a game of the year nomination, in my opinion.

Rating Score 9.2