Behind Enemy Lines 2: Band of Brothers

Author: Andrew «Morgul» Okushko
Source: Country Games № May 2008	01.03.2008

In front of friends - four years of war. But so far should not think about it, as it were repulsed by the Nazis to let her through. Not consider diamonds in the stone caves. And games do not count about Russian and Nazi. They come by tens and here and abroad, most often going to the scrap in a couple of hours after purchase. But there are exceptions, one of which was a series of "Behind Enemy Lines." Modern graphics, interactive environments and direct control - these "Three, seven and ace helped the developers to break the bank. As there was not to try his luck again, releasing the addition "Band of Brothers" to the second part of the project?

SSX on Tour

Authors: Yuri «Voron» Lewandowski
Source: Country Games № April 2006	19.02.2006

Picking up a CD with SSX on Tour, a long time does not dare to insert it into the console, pondering over what the same developers carved out a magnificent version for home consoles this time around?

Dissidia: Final Fantasy

Sergei Tsilyurik
Source: Country Games № 23 2009	17-12-2009

The last two years have been very fertile for crossover fighting games based on the popular game universes. Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Castlevania Judgment and Dissidia: Final Fantasy - they are all designed to please the fans and thus differ markedly from both the game-grandparents and their representatives from the classical as a genre.

SBK 09: Superbike World Championship

Stepan Grabber
Source: PC GAMES number in July 2009	03-07-2009

The developers have prepared for the winner only two options for the animation of movement: rejoicing with one or two hands up. At this time, dropped the second option. Please note, directed to view the pilot. For him in the first place is clearly not an airplane! Ten years ago, the Milanese company Milestone gave the fans a great motorsports simulator Superbike World Championship. The game has pleased both beautiful graphics and realistic gameplay. Even greater success achieved has withdrawn a year later continued under the name of Superbike 2000. It would seem that episode, waiting for a bright future, but no such luck. After the release of Superbike 2001 publisher Electronic Arts has refused any further cooperation with Italian designers.

The war in heaven - 1917

Author: Vladimir Rybin
Source: Country Games № 13 2009	13.07.2009

Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords

Author: Sergey «TD» Tsilyurik
Source: Country Games № December 2007	18.08.2007

RPG exist longer one decade. Write character extract quest smash orcish get level bleed characteristics buy steep armors and sword longer, flunk dragon marry princess ... familiar? No less familiar and classic puzzle where you have to combine in a series of three icons of the same color - at least have the same Bejeweled, by which the world had gone hundreds of thousands of man hours. Why no one had thought to combine these two genres in one game before the advent of Puzzle Quest - a mystery. After all, RPG-elements now getting shoved wherever. And beat'em up, and in the GTA, and even the strategies have experience points for leveling. But the crossing of RPG and puzzle gave a truly stunning result.

Dragonica

SI
Source: Country Games № February 2010	01.02.2010

GENERAL VPCHATLENIE Dragonica captivates primarily stylistic: the gaming world, like hand-painted gouache paints, and attracts, forcing the move from the dark dungeons Aion in the fairy tale where the caramel houses and eternally blue sky. The atmosphere of comfort and celebration, NPC openly friendly, and skirmishes with the wolves and sheep make merry laugh - to the funny looks, the local fauna.

Heroes Over Europe

Dmitry Karasev
Source: PC GAMES number in December 2009	10-01-2010

Strange thing: Transmission Games seem to be carefully copied the successful construction of Heroes of the Pacific, and not even too lazy to make a slight improvement, but as a result of the project for which has already been stashed a medal for an exciting action game, gets a low rating because of the boring fights in air. Alas, his second air campaign, Australian developers have lost on all counts. But at first glance, Heroes Over Europe seems to be quite successful.

The House of the Dead: Overkill

Author: Eugene Zakirov
Source: Country Games № June 2009	05.04.2009

MotorStorm: Arctic Edge

Author: Yuri Lewandowski
Source: Country Games № 24 2009	05.01.2010

More and more high-profile racing names appear on the PlayStation Portable. After finally, after years of waiting, we could try to pocket Gran Turismo, we propose to take to the road and portable MotorStorm.

The Blackwell Convergence

Author: Marina Petrashko
Source: Country Games № 18 2009	18.09.2009

Today once again we will focus on small forms gamedev. As often happens in all areas of art, small shapes sometimes are finished, perfect, and that is natural, laconic large. The main thing is to know where to look for "mushroom places."

The Hulk

Roman Yepishin
	18.07.2003

Name game: The Hulk Platform: PC, PS2, Xbox, GameCube Genre: action Developer: Radical Entertainment Publisher: VU Games Release Date: May 27, 2003 Minimum System Requirements (for PC): Pentium III 700 MHz, 192 MB RAM, 3D-graphics card with 32 MB RAM, 1.5 GB HDD Official site: http://www.radical-entertainment.com/ http://www.vugames.com/vug/ Did you ever have days when everything went through ..., well, that is absolutely not true, as we would like? Barely able to keep themselves out of bed, shuffled terminally sleepy dobreli to the bathroom, only to hear a nasty rumbling air in the empty taps. Breakfast of burnt oranges, went to work on the bus, the eyeballs stuffed with sweaty, nervous people, as a barrel herrings. Arriving, finally, to the hated office in the morning you got a scolding from his superiors and so on and so forth. In those days people generally, they say, comes to pens, boils and can explode (in a figurative sense of course), head to bite, for example, or format the punch face fellow. Who knows, maybe it was after a working day someone got the idea to create a comic book about a simple guy Bruce Banner, who, being driven to extremes, and if he could not solve all their problems, create others could discharge the same beautifully. Buddy turned to a hefty green-burglar, endowed with uncommon strength left and extraordinary jumping ability for his size. Mount muscle derives its name (or rather nickname?) Hulk, which is translated from of bourgeois, sorry to English means "big galoot." The idea proved so successful that it became intimately Hulk'y in comics, and he, in his rage began to make its way into other elements, finally broke free on a wide theatrical release in the form of the same movie on a more narrow TV screens and monitors as a cantilever and computer games. Actually, about her and talking. Referring to the genre of action project The Hulk managed to combine both traits, no doubt, good films and comic elements of the series. This has resulted in new, different from the movie plot, which can not but rejoice. After all, we know what usually turn games created in close conjunction with the previously released movies. However, once forced to cut the wings of your optimism - game story does not shine with originality and generally does not affect gameplay. According to classic komiksovoy scenario we have the main villain - The Leader - and a few enemies of lower rank. Among them are borrowed from the comic book Madman, Flux and Ravage The entire activity of players is reduced to a march-throw on the game level with associated destruction of everything that moves, and the destruction of all that is careless enough to stand still. It should be grateful nod to developers for the great sense of his own omnipotence, invincibility. The player can really feel invincible Hulk'om. You're breaking the walls, floor, ceiling, lift your hands and can easily plunk down opponents.Among the latter - military equipment, poor soldiers, specially created to deal with green bully robots, soldiers, mutants, and even my favorite mutated dogs, for scenes battle that is sure to see the movie. All of this motley company Hulk not just throw right and left in different directions, but also actively flailed his shovel ruchischami. Since our husky is not trained to shoot, the developers decided to diversify its maximum fistfight. It offers the usual zubotychiny, a combination of three punches, punches in the air and stunning the enemy cotton. All this can be combined in its sole discretion, arranging a truly murderous brawl. In addition, Hulk, causing injuries and he was injured, is able to indulge in unbridled rage (a kiss in the direction of the bloody Miss Rayne), when the movements become faster, jump higher, hit harder. Not a mutant, and the spitting image of olympian! In addition to the fury of the burglar may carry out new, more devastating combination of punches. By the way, if you get bored split knuckles Hulk'a on heads of enemies and the iron carcass robots, you can equip a hero fragment of metal pipe or other weighty debris, which become "processed" Hulk'om building. However, what we're all about Hulk'e yes on Hulk'e. There's still himself, Bruce Banner. Although it would be better it was not. Game for this guy cachectic subject of several, so to speak, stealth-level, where developers propose to us to solve puzzles on a pair of blunt substitution digits, giving them a serious "hacker" mission. Honestly, boring and unoriginal. Where as interesting to break and destroy everything around, throwing fellows in the wall, to crush their heaviest barrels, grinding giant fists, tearing to pieces of robots, to sow death and destruction! Sorry, got carried away. In story mode game action unfolding on military bases, laboratories and office complexes. True, the practice shows - do not care where and what to break. Especially since the end of the game all these locations are merged into a series differ little from each other buildings, now and then causing a feeling of deja vu. Looks like the designers a little bit so tired and just drank all the life-giving Coca-Cola. Anyway, when the entourage slowly but surely begins to fill teeth on edge, the game ends happily, so especially to curse the developers are not for that. Rather, should be praised for Story Mode is that the length of what is needed. After all, even the inimitable Tommy, the protagonist Mafia, said that the main thing in life - balance and sense of proportion. And if you still were not enough of a destructive mayhem, welcome to the modes of Survival, Time Attack and Hulk Smash!, Where you can naprygatsya enough, incoming and kick, in the sense of the souls of all the beat (and you thought that?). Graphically, the toy is not repellent, although nothing extraordinary to offer. It should be noted perhaps that cel-shading, which adds a subtle komiksovoy style heroes. Looks really nice and quite original (the technology something relatively new). Meanwhile, the "cute" - general definition of The Hulk as a whole. That's right - nice, no more, no less. Game of the category of "half an hour before bedtime." The absence of a strong plot and variety in gameplay not give her to become a hit, but made on the basis of comic toy on it and does not apply. Want to have some fun and give vent to his destructive urge - a toy for you. Do not want to - your cause, just remember that for beating his colleagues and the collapse of office space in the real world is shining, "government house", even taking into account the heat of passion.

Hearts of Iron III

Author: Andrew Okushko
Source: Country Games № 18 2009	26.09.2009

Sonic and the Black Knight

Author: Alexey Golubev
Source: Country Games № November 2009	17.06.2009

STALKER: Call of Pripyat

Author: Alexander Solyarsky
Source: Country Games № 20 2009	19.10.2009

From now on you can not guess which of the endings STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl is correct. The developers have chosen the one in which gunner unravels the mystery of the Contractor desires and destroy "On-Consciousness." It was she who serves as a starting point for new stories about the world of the Zone.

Wii Sports Resort

Author: Dmitry Karasev
Source: Country Games № 18 2009	28.09.2009

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3. Restructuring, the review «PC GAMES&quot

Hilarion Pravdorubov
Source: PC GAMES number in December 2008	25.11.2008

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Dmitry Rubanov
Source: PC GAMES number in August 2009	28-07-2009

Transformers come a long way from Japanese plastic toys to the Hollywood blockbuster with a budget, which can contain the year the city of Saratov. The first film about a large humanoid robots from director Michael Bay (Michael Bay) has paid off in just a few days of hire. The sequel, released in theaters in June, was even more successful and spectacular. But on the accompanying toy, as usual, no tears will not look.

Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (review Gameland. Ru)

Author: Sergey Gotsman
	01.12.2008

Monster Hunter Freedom 2

Author: Eugene Zakirov
Source: Country Games № 23 2007	01.12.2007

Far away in the mountains hid cut off from the outside world village hunters. Every few years, it reminds of itself, but the rest of the live special regulations. These mountains are in the most northern edge of the world where there is permafrost, and dinosaurs are hiding from the cold in ice caves. Once in the village was a trouble - an experienced hunter, was injured during a battle with a dragon and was forced to abandon a profitable fishery. Without such a warrior village hard to produce food, and here they are sent to the aid of a hunter from the south, warm edge. Unfortunately, no adventure to reach the village, he could not, and went in search team found him in a deep snowdrift, unconscious, as it turns out later, with no memory.

Dead Head Fred

Author: VP
Source: Country Games № January 2008	01.01.2008

Provincial town of Hope Falls is fully justified its own name: that's stinking landfills, where local residents without being registered long ago turned into a mutant, that's downtown, where the clock, and even without a break for lunch creates excesses of the mafia, that's industrial zone, where no one really long time does not work, and this garage cooperative, which for ten years no one is. Only one hero can save the situation and give the city another chance. But from the beginning everything went wrong ... Unlucky detective Fred Neuman, who tried to bring the mafia to clean water (according to the firm belief of the majority, it is the mafia should be considered in all issues of guilty), very quickly lost his head. But here's good luck - instead he has found a wonderful opportunity to replace the former home of the body what you want new ones. And let the list do not appear on the head Pierce Brosnan, Orlando Bloom, or even Robbie Williams, but available to be useful not only in the ladies seducing the opposite sex (just for this rare exception, they absolutely do not fit), but also for the completion of an investigation launched.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

author: Red Cat
	17.01.2006

Everyone knows: in the old English homes can be found lots of interesting things - you just how to search. Someone will stumble on a secret room or walled dead, but the most inquisitive almost certainly be able to find a door into another reality. Here, say, four siblings respectable family Pevensey look no time, how they got into Narnia, where they had to battle with this sorceress, and commanding an army of centaurs, griffins and other fantastic creatures.

Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper

Dmitry Karasev
Source: PC GAMES number in August 2009	05-08-2009

Slums of London conceal the danger. Somewhere in the dark doorways, filled with foul-smelling mixture of smoke and fog, lurking predator. The elusive murderer, his cruelty plunged into horror, even the inhabitants of Whitechapel, the most polluted areas in London. But on the trail of an animal already is a hunter. Great Sherlock Holmes calm and unruffled - he moves from one tip to another, where it and you will find a shocking answer to one of the most macabre mysteries of the XX century - the mystery of Jack the Ripper ...

Homeworld 2

Roman Yepishin
	30.09.2003

Name game: Homeworld 2 Platform: PC Genre: 3D RTS Developer: Sierra Entertainment Publisher: Relic Entertainment Release Date: September 16, 2003 Minimum system requirements: Pentium III 833 MHz, 256 MB RAM, 3D-graphics card with 32 MB RAM, 1.2 GB HDD Official site: http://www.homeworld2.com/ Many years have passed since the courageous and brave exiles returned to their home world. Once in the ousting of "bear corner" of the galaxy on the desert planet of stark Kushan, they fire and sword, tears and blood was returned to his homeland - Hiigara. Ruined hundreds of lives, killing thousands of enemies and winning the love, respect and recognition of the gaming community, "higartsy" began the unit with its peaceful, quiet life. Alas, according to the laws gamedev world is not given to how it was last a long time. Dominated by the enemy - Vaygr - returned with a new, more horrific and deadly force, forcing the "higartsev" again to grab the weapon, and you and me - a sleek white and gray computer carcasses of rodents. With the release of Homeworld 2 suffering Hiigara system was again in the face of mortal danger. We found ourselves in the face of new challenges: how to enjoy plenty of beauty and dynamics of Homeworld 2 is not forgetting about work, not sliding it toward a plan to tridesyaty girl and injuring an already limping on all four legs in school. From the first minutes of the game Homeworld 2 confidently confirms the proverb, "Everything is new - is well forgotten old". The game is a good old Homeworld with the prefix "super". Schedule was beautiful - was sverhkrasivaya; were fighting spectacular - have sverhzrelischnymi, interesting plot turned into a sverhinteresnuyu history, and inconvenient administration, by analogy, in sverhneudobnoe. Frightened? Just kidding! Relic Entertainment has done a Herculean labor, effort, and before that by no means weak aspects of the game, simultaneously correcting all of the most glaring shortcomings, chief among them - namely management. It is no secret that very interesting, exciting and still very nice Homeworld was hopelessly lost for many players because frankly failed verification system. Of course, the game was one of the pioneers in the implementation of a fully three-dimensional space with a unique freedom of movement in three axes, so that we can make allowances for the "first attempt", but the fact remains. But Homeworld 2 is open, hospitable and accessible. Key changes were embodied in the construction of ships (they are manufactured groups, rather than one) and, in fact, their navigation on three axes. Imagine repeatedly prettier, but in full to maintain the momentum of Homeworld with convenient, in fact, intuitive control. Impressive? You bet! Homeworld 2 engine supports the latest DirectX 9 effects behalf, including the leading role belongs to the pixel shaders.Their use has allowed programmers and designers to create an excellent Relic per-pixel shading ships, which, coupled with dynamic lighting and colorful explosions create an enchanting picture of stellar battles. If you remember, was famous for its large-scale battles still the first Homeworld. The sequel also, continuing to recreate all the best with the prefix "super", brought the number of combatants in a single mission units to several hundred. In this case, ships well detailed, and most importantly - do not like each other. Again against the backdrop of colorful cosmic expanses melteshat squadrons of interceptors, again go straight rows on the target bombers smashed to pieces under defensive fire corvettes, while the cruiser giants politely, slowly and courteously exchanged volleys of rockets and plasma guns. Fans of the original game certainly please the presence of a number of old acquaintances starship, along with an impressive list of new models. True, Vaygr ships are now more different from the stellar piece of plate Hiigara. For example, recent preference for plasma weapons, whereas an insidious enemy relies on the slow but powerful missiles. At the same enemies, and your players behave quite reasonably, taking the confusion bout those goals that are appropriate to them in class and / or most vulnerable to their airborne weapons. In other words, the cruiser will not be throwing heavy missiles fighter squadron rapid and concentrate fire on another cruiser. As well as fighters in the first place will be engaged in small boats cover, not trying their light machine guns otkolupat piece of armor-heavyweight cruisers. If you support the installation of low-witted AI in a particular case of the formation, the victory, consider it in my pocket. Variety of play of the mission are still bound by a history of extremely topical and alternate cinematics. The developers have managed to repeatedly reinforce a sense of the tragedy of another war, following the video in black, gray and white. I remember, the story Homeworld took the quick. Homeworld 2 continues and strengthens the tradition of ancestor. But what are we all about good so good about? And bored for long! Let's look at the system requirements. What developers call a necessary minimum, allow you to run the game, but enjoy the events taking place on screen - barely. Toy cheeky brakes on a system with a 1.3 GHz processor, 512 MB RAM and 64-MB Radeon 9000. To the credit of the creators, the number of frames is not too dependent on the number of ships and explosions on the screen, so you can safely rely on the fact that the game will continue this in the early pace throughout the space war. I agree, poor consolation, but there's no getting around that fact - what is there. The main thing - do not count on success in multiplayer'e with minimal configuration. With all its formations, different armed ships and fully three-dimensional space Homeworld 2 offers unprecedented scope for the online battle, but when all six players will build themselves a fleet of hundreds of units ... well, you understand. Although the curse of talented developers for what they have done a magnificent continuation of an excellent game, but with high system requirements, perhaps, is simply stupid and tactless. World of Homeworld 2 captures and captivates with his head. It's beautiful, interesting and original. Its inhabitants are intelligent and unusual, and the script of tragic events is worthy movie.What else players need to be happy? Perhaps a little more free time to enjoy all this magnificence ...

Obscure II

Author: Eugene Zakirov
	18.10.2007

One solves the puzzle and complex codes, another way to move from place completely filled with books shelves, a third climbing and jumping like a monkey.

Apocalyptica

Roman Yepishin
	21.11.2003

Game Title: Apocalyptica Platform: PC, Xbox Genre: action Developer: Extreme FX Publisher: Konami Release Date: October 2003 Minimum system requirements: Pentium III 800 MHz, 128 MB RAM, 3D-graphics card with 32 MB RAM, 1.2 GB HDD Official site: http://www.apocalyptica.net/ Nicely at the time bothered to Epic. In Unreal Tournament is still "chopped" hundreds of thousands of players of different age and gender around the world. Probably belong to the fans of the unforgettable hit, and the staff of Studio Extreme FX. Demonstrating exceptional analytical skills (and uncommon modesty), I even venture to say that over all, they liked the regime Assault, more precisely, its part of the assault. Indeed, to organize a team raid on the enemy object is very, very interesting. The dynamics of the battle, the rapidity of action, it seems, can not fail to enthrall. However, the wise men say: "When it appears to be baptized should be" ... Apparently inspired by the success of Unreal Tournament, team Extreme FX has decided to offer his view on the dynamics and impetuosity. View took shape in the game with the immodest title Apocalyptica, thriller, in which the word "chopped" gets the most that neither is a direct value. I happened to mention the regime Assault. Apocalyptica In the same way you have to break into the bowels of the fortified enemy base, simultaneously pressing buttons, pulling levers and stealing gear. Only the main weapon of a breakthrough becomes a sword, rather than Flack Cannon or Rocket Launcher. However, remote weapon in the form of various kinds of guns, the heroes of the game also have the only benefit it brings is not enough. As well as magic, for some reason, added to dry in the general crazy cocktail. Why crazy? And you look at the surroundings and the story outline of the project! The action takes place in the distant future, when all white and fluffy part of mankind in unison turned to God, and the remaining were drawn to the Devil. Since all the biblical characters with each other, to put it mildly, do not get along, then divided into two camps of mankind has not found anything better than to start a bloody war. True, this whole slaver does not affect the course of the game, because there, as they say, for a tick. In Unreal Tournament, for example, for a tick invented a such a bloody sport of the future ... In general, each resort to ploys, as you can. Only notorious UT, having a completely useless subject, firmly exciting gameplay. Variety of modes, great AI, interesting maps, levels, dynamic team battles will always be in the price of the players. Alas, these flattering epithets are not to Apocalyptica. Of course, the fighting there, too, can be called dynamic, and levels - in its interesting, but it will be only words. If the UT dynamics is to use different kinds of clever tricks, strafe literate, the ability to time jump and so on, in Apocalyptica it lies in the continuous running and randomly pressing the left and right mouse buttons, corresponding, respectively, for the shooting and sword strikes.First, as already mentioned, is not effective enough, and contact the fight takes place without any sly punches. More precisely, the combinations of strokes the characters spend the spectacular, the animation of the developers have no complaints, except that the player's actions do not depend on these combos. To play you - a mechanism that systematically harvesting the button, everything else happens automatically. Cutting down dozens of assorted enemies, the player of the level in the level should make its way to the next lever or button, open the next gate and break through to the next lever. Why? Formally, to inflict yet another crushing blow to the bloodthirsty servants of the devil in order to multiply the power of the Lord in a dark world, that reigned in the end the kingdom of goodness and prosperity in the entire universe! In fact, to get to the end of the level and proceed to the next. If this dignified way you or your brother (sister) in arms kill an enemy blade - do not worry. Respawn - one borrowed from the multiplayer element of the militants in Apocalyptica. Although you can not regenerate indefinitely. Game time limit, or counting down a minute timer, or the special conditions of victory. The latter, in turn, borrowed, only this time from the regime of Capture the Flag. Explain with an example. In the second level of the game your team (sorry, detachment) to get gear from one unit and into another one. Enemy strive to do the same. Who first put gland - the winner. Accordingly, from hand to hand gear passes by the murder of her former owner. Everything is simple and secondary. Apocalyptica does not open anything new, and in graphic terms. Gloomy monophonic texture, absolutely standard characters, not spectacular nor its well conceived or designed. In fact, the schedule is kept at all the same Unreal Tournament. Note, the first Unreal Tournament, released four years ago, but still raduyuschego if not the graphics, the gameplay and music - for sure. A Apocalyptica can not even that! Musical accompaniment in the style of techno fused into a monotonous, fortunately, not attracting attention to rumble. Cast as a splash screen reading texts openly manipulative, and only the voice of the devil intro frankly pleased. Very, you know, natural sounds, just like the real thing. Voice as enemy soldiers and allies in the game itself is made ​​entirely illiterate. Even if we close our eyes to the low quality of the replicas, groans and rattles, it remains unclear why the big monster-rolling and little rascals-goners groaning in the same manner? While probably not fair to pick on such trifles, and when much more important things evoke boredom and disappointing. Sad but true: Apocalyptica - through secondary toy. Lean mix of religious delirium, monotonous gameplay with vain attempts to recreate the grandeur of Unreal Tournament, unremarkable songs and the same AI (and how else could he be so ingenuous in battles?). It is unlikely that you will be able to play that long. It is unlikely that you will become a general in this game.

Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures

Author: Evilmind
Source: Country Games № December 2008	15.06.2008

In recent years, in the MMORPG genre stagnates. Most games coming out similar to each other as twin brothers, everywhere you look, everywhere elves and gnomes, while developers try to please everyone, trying to cut a little more greenery. The gaming community has long appealed to the creators: "Enough to feed us a fantasy-consumer goods. We want meat and circuses! "Well, it's time to open the champagne. Spring 2008 will go down in the history of the birth of the most bloody and realistic MMORPG, which sparkle with swords and flying in all directions of the head. It is time for Conan!

Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne

Sergey Paramonov
	16.12.2003

Name game: Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne Platform: PC, Playstation2, Xbox Genre: action Developer: Remedy Entertainment Publisher: Take-Two The official system requirements: Minimum: Pentium III 1000MHz, 128 MB ram, 3D-graphics card with 32 MB RAM, HDD 1.7 GB Recommended: Athlon 1400 MHz or 1700 MHz Pentium 4 processor, 512 MB ram, 3D-graphics card with 64 MB of memory, HDD 1.7 GB Link to the official website: www.maxpayne2.com Remedy Entertainment - a small, but demanded a Finnish firm of developers, released in 2001, all known Max Payne. Existed in the development about three years, an ambitious project yet seen the light and proved to many that the games do not always turn out to be protracted and frustrating failures. Gorgeous, ahead of their time computer graphics, dramatic storyline, as well as the mode of "Bullet Time" (trump card game), did their job. The game immediately won recognition of gamers, and become one of the main representatives of the militants with a third person for the PC . In the spring of this year developers announced that in the bowels of the company in full swing, work on a sequel. Since then, the entire gaming community with bated breath, waiting for release of Max Payne 2. The game was released on time and your attention is given an overview of the new adventures of Max, who at this time, though not a revolution in the genre, but certainly a pleasant surprise for gamers, eager to touch and test in practice the long-awaited sequel to the hit two years ago. Let's start with the plot. The action takes place one year after the events of the preceding paragraph. Despite the fact that our hero is sewn virtually the entire segment of the criminal underworld of New York City, Max smiles in court good luck, and his warrant. He then returned to where you would think, yes it is there, the police station and becomes a detective. At one point, Max is being suspected of murdering his partner and then the fun begins: once again - shooting again - violence. Narrative inserts on the game engine is a much better, but not forgotten, and painted in gouache cartoons, which, incidentally, are now much more readable. If you dig a little deeper component of the story, then we will have a real love story that unfolded between Max and familiar to us by the previous part of Mona. Intrigue, lies, betrayal, love, passion and death. Through this whole wide range of players will go, playing Max Payne 2. The sequel is longer than the original and a rich variety of locations. We will visit the hospital, police station, factory, theater, and in combination - the residence of Mona. According to the plot, we, incidentally, to stun her taking a shower ... Turning to the graphic component, I think, would not be superfluous to state that today it is almost the most high-tech for the PC. Competition, perhaps, can make a Splinter Cell. Yes, let's be honest, the graphics simply gorgeous: lighting effects, detailed characters, environment, devastatingly realistic fire, even on a jacket by Max shows the refraction of light rays. Especially all these charms will be able to feel the happy owners of the latest generation graphics cards.Remember the legendary "Mafia", remember what the realistic and detalizovannye were persons of the main characters? So, the characters in Max Payne 2 in graphic terms, leaving far behind the mob leaders. Another song - realism. The developers have also considered this point, and now each board each table, barrel, etc. are subject to the most direct interaction. Imagine this picture. In the hands of the evil character "bleed" and met with cries of "Payne!" runs no less an evil security guard with two Uzi in his hands. Two shots of a gun - and foe flies back straight into a pile of boxes standing near the stairs. The body of the enemy blows all the boxes like a bowling ball. And how it looks with the included slo-mo - words can not describe. Speaking of Bullet Time, in principle, the regime so and remained the same, the only notable innovation is the process of reloading weapons in this mode. When Payne firing at the enemy, for example, of a double Berettas, and the store was almost empty, then begins a short clip on the engine, showing how our fighter for justice reloads his weapon by moving around its axis. This camera is approaching it as closely as possible and also makes a few laps. However, this is undoubtedly fashionable feature turns out not always, but only in those cases where you thorough shot from multiple enemies at once. And now propose to touch on use of weapons in the game. The main advantage is the ability to beat the butt. New "trunk" of the game is not so much - "darling" AK-47 semiautomatic shotgun, and MP5. The latter, incidentally, with a telescopic sight. Also there is a Dragunov sniper rifle (SVD) of which Mona, I must say, excellent shot. The rest we all know the weapons in the first part. Another detail that enthralls - it's enemies. No, not their diversity, not the intellect (although he is at a high level), and the process of shooting these. Shooting, such as Desert Eagle, you drop them far back. Wielding Uzi, it seems that they are doing a sieve. And what a pleasure - shot from them using M16 or have already mentioned my AK-47! Body of fallen enemies no longer fall on the floor according to the defined algorithm, they take very different, and sometimes even ridiculous poses. Convulsions and hang on every barrel, hood of the car, drawers, desks, and banisters and killed enemies provided. Summing up, of course, is to throw a couple of stones in the garden Remedy Ent. Why creating a new graphics engine, the developers have forgotten about at least some some environmental destruction? All of these boxes, which I throughout the entire review singing the praises can not detonate or break up into small pieces. The same applies to virtually everything that you see on your way. And what would have been nice to run into an old apartment Old ladies and spread there from all your favorite shotgun into the nines! But no matter how much shoot the interior, there are only bullet holes. I really do not affect the barrels with fuel and other explosives. And the game on its duration is not too great, a promise that the sequel will be three times longer than the original developers could not hold back. Also do not forget that in the continuation of Max supposedly had to learn techniques of unarmed combat. Well, despite some flaws and arcade gameplay sequel to the hit 2001 can be considered valid. A couple of memorable evenings of the game you provided, especially if you have a powerful PC and a great stereo system, because the sound in the game played a significant role.

The Guild 2: Venice

SI
Source: Country Games № 24 2008	29.12.2008

The general impression "Do not strain!" - What appears to be the motto has currently Trine Game Studios, acquired the right of a second add-on to Venice The Guild 2. Result of work throws fans into shock from the first seconds: "Venice" - it's just a stripped-down copy of the first additions. There is no campaign, no multiplayer, no innovation. Do not assume, as do glass-blowing production, for which you did not even bother to draw a new animation, taking them from blacksmithing (fun to watch as "glassblower" recklessly Lupit hammer on harvesting), or the church, where the wedding (fun "trick", but not more). Add on here the modified models of buildings "under Italy, as well as four cards, you get a complete picture of the" innovations "in Venice. Now add to them bugs, lying in wait at every turn (the characters that pass through the building - it's flowers, in front of waiting for the berries in the form of missions and saves, not wanting to boot), a strange path search algorithm, a variety of nasty little things (sort of hint that Venice was a Hansa), discarded the old maps ... It feels like a couple of weeks the game has somehow worked, and then, a tired, throw away the result of the market, sincerely hoping that fans will swallow and not choke. Sad, sorry, but the fact ...

Legend of Heroes: A Tear of Vermillion

author: Natalia Odintsova
	18.03.2006

For the first swallow like Legend of Heroes: A Tear of Vermillion is always treated with some condescension. In fact, until recently, RPG for the PSP only teased the imagination of screenshots, and many hours of adventure motley company of heroes did not give dusty console only the older generations. And believe that the ideas of developers will certainly fresh, graphics - colorful, and the execution if and pumped up, only for the sake of a bold experiment with game mechanics.