Big fish, little fish, orange box
The Orange Box (Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC)It’s The Orange Box that offers the best value for money this year, especially for those console gamers who’ve never played the Half Life games before. The pack consists of Half-Life 2, Half-Life 2: Episode One, Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Portal, and Team Fortress 2.
Even the oldest of the three Half Life games (2004) on offer puts to shame many modern day first person shooters. These games are superb fun, cleverly designed and boast solid narratives. Portal on the other hand is a pioneering type of single player action game that rewrites the rules for how players approach and manipulate their environment – much like how Half-Life 2’s Gravity Gun reinvented the way gamers interact with objects in the game.
As for Team Fortress 2, well that’s an all-new version of the legendary title that spawned team based multiplayer action games. It’s a brilliant package and one that shouldn't be missed.
Click for larger imageSyphon Filter: Logan's Shadow (PSP)
Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow provides a sophisticated and gripping storyline that is sure to resonate with comic book lovers and action enthusiasts. We find Gabe Logan once again using a combination of stealth and “run-and-gun” gameplay as he is called into action when a dangerous new technology is hijacked by a criminal extremist group.
Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow is complete with a variety of combat mechanics including the ability to force enemies into cover with “blind-fire”, an advanced melee system that allows Gabe to use enemies as human shields, and 360 degree underwater combat. For the first time in the franchise “interactive moments” have been added for increased player interaction, such as airlifting debris and escaping wrist restraints.
The game showcases some of the best physics on the PSP and coupled with compelling tactical play it’s our favourite game on PSP this year.
