Madden NFL07
Various video games have been launched modeled on the popular sports and the Madden NFL07 is the latest version of the very famous Madden NFL series replicating American soccer matches. The Madden NFL 07 is supported by the Xbox 360gaming console and it has been the first of the Madden series to make its appearance on the Wii and PlayStation3 consoles. The latest version has got certain new additional features. These include the use of jukes and spins, two for each by the players to deal with their rivals, use of highlight sticks, FreeMotion controls and Hikes, Runningback, Quarter Back, Kicker or Punter and Wide Receiver which are available on the Wii versions and can be used in accordance with the Wii Remote. The Lead Block Control is also a latest inclusion which aids the players to sweep past their unpleasant rivals at the time of positioning only. A huge variety of musicians have lent their voice and musical prowess to add to the effects of the game.
Since its inception and arrival in the world market, Madden NFL 07 has earned immense popularity and awards. In august 2006, it was adjudged BB& B’s Sports Game of the year. In the G4 television series X-Play it was again awarded as the Best Sporting Game of 2006. The Spike TV Guy’s Choice Awards, it won accolades for being the Game with the most Game. Moreover, Madden NFL 07’s Wii version was announced as the Best New Control Scheme and the Best Traditional Sports Game of 2006. This award was further facilitated by the exquisite new technical tools like the Wii remote which allowed various upgraded techniques like FreeMotion controls, hikes etc to be introduced as part of the game. So the Wii gaming console too here has a substantial role to play.
The acronym F.E.A.R. is the abbreviated form of the popular 2005 shooter game which is known as First Encounter Assault Recon. It is supported by the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 gaming consoles and it is played from the first person point of view. It is to be noted that prior to its release F.E.A.R. was immensely hyped and once introduced it was greatly appreciated by critics and players alike. In fact it has been Game of the Year by GameSpy. One of the reasons that may have contributed to the popularity of the game is the kind of graphics used like lightmapping, volumetric lighting, normal mapping, shaders and parallax mapping which are components of the Jupiter EX which is the major engine technology used in the game.
The central conflict of the game is between a special intelligence force lead by its front man who is known as Point Man and whose only aim is counterattack the various supernatural forces at work by means of his ability of being able to withstand those attacks. In terms of gameplay, a significant opportunity arrives when the game’s virtual world is slowed down in terms of speed and the player is allowed to commute in normal speed. This is known as ‘reflex time’. There are several weapons which are used in this game like guns and pistols and other firearms and at the same time, there are also certain illusory weapons which are used for example, the particle beam weapons.
First Encounter Assault Recon also allows multiplayer playing and these multiplayer versions were renamed and released in 2006 as F.E.A.R. Combat. Both the PlayStation3 and Xbox versions allow online multiplayer playing facility. The entire thematic is aided by the spooky and ghostly settings of the game.
However there is no denying the fact that while both the Xbox and PlayStation 3 versions have garnered encouraging reception, they have not been able to overcome F.E.A.R.‘s popularity as a PC game.
Gears of War
Regarded as one of the best selling video games of 2006, Gears of War was developed by Epic Games and designed for the Xbox 360 gaming console. It is a third person shooter game and has since its inception, won series of accolades from various corners for its animation qualities and graphics technology. In fact it has accumulated innumerable awards in its kitty including the Xbox 360 game of the year, Best Graphics Technology, Best Action Game, Best Multi Player Game, Best Shooter, from various sources like Gamefly, IGN, GameSpot etc. in fact many critics have even gone to the extent of referring to it as the next big thing to have hit the gaming world after the super successful Halo 3.
The primary purpose of the player in the game is to rescue the inhabitants of an imaginary planet named Sera who have been invaded in by some unfathomable and constant enemy known as Locust Horde. The protectors here are the soldiers of Delta Squad who have vouched to protect the humans trapped in Sera in the face of this invasion. The player assumes the role of an erstwhile prisoner and hardy soldier named Marcus Fenix and in multiplayer versions he is ably supported by his associate Dominic Santiago. The two other supporting characters include August Cole and Damon Baird.
Gears of War is a game which allows very few options when it comes to protecting or combating with the use of multifarious weapons and thus the players have to face the conflict with efficient use of tactics and strategy. The various arms and armaments used include pistols, rifles, shotguns, assault rifles etc. The most powerful of all is known as the Hammer of Dawn and it has the capability of assassinating the player as well as his associates and counterparts. There are four major modes in the game-warzone, execution, assassination and annex. Gears of War have been a hugely successful series and a sequel is in the offing.
Review of Doom 3 PC and xBox
Doom 3 compatible to the Xbox 360 versions is a first person shooter game and was introduced in 2004 by id Software. This game having elements of horror and science fiction thronged together attained the position of being one of the most famed of the computer games in the year 2004. it was widely appreciated by gamers and critics and it also won a series of awards like the one for Best Graphics(Technical category) awarded by GamesSpot and also the E3 2002 Game Critics Award for the Best Action Game, Best PC Game and also received special recognition for its for its sound quality and advanced graphical tools deployed. It is significant to mention here that this game, though named Doom 3 is not a sequel of the previous Doom series and is a repackaged version of it.
The game is set in an advanced time period, in 2145, and the premise of the setting is in the planet Mars at the Union Aerospace Corporation, also known as the UAC. The central role here is played by a marine whose actions are controlled by the player and his mission is to combat with unidentified demons and it is in course of his bid to survive this onslaught that the ominous designs of the villainous character DR, Malcolm Betruger is revealed to this marine.
This game is characterized by its linear architecture and the player does not have the power to hide but can only leap or squat accordingly to save his own life. The kinds of weapons used in this game include various forms of guns like the plasma guns, pistols and hand grenades among many others. There is also a special armament called the Soul Cube which is a construct of the aliens. The flashlight is the dominant lighting technique used in the game. This game allows multi paler gaming.
On the negative side, it has been critiqued for its non-innovative scripting and slow movement of the players, among others factors.