Raiden has always been a controversial character. His debut performance in Metal Gear Solid 2 was at the expense of a protagonist, Solid Snake, who was well loved by gamers. With his flowing, golden locks, androgynous appearance and a sneaking suit that hugged his buttocks far too tightly, Raiden was the antithesis of the chain smoking, rugged and gravel voiced hero that we were pining for.

Reaction to Raiden’s surprise inclusion was overwhelmingly negative and alongside a narrative that was at times incomprehensible, he helped sour many on what was still an excellent game. Even Kojima Productions couldn’t pass up the opportunity to mock Raiden, parodying him in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater with Raikov, a Russian major, to whom he bore a strong resemblance and who happened to be Colonel Volgin’s secret lover. MGS4 was kinder to Raiden, as he appeared in a cybernetic exoskeleton and wielded a katana that cut through steel; he became a cyborg bad-ass that was the polar opposite of his original incarnation.

Last month saw Raiden return to controversy, as he found himself smack bang in the middle of a web of lies and a Metal Gear spin-off that has attracted a very mixed, yet passionate response from fans. It was revealed at the recent Video Game Awards that Kojima productions’ Metal Gear Solid: Rising is now Platinum Games’ Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. An impressive trailer revealed a game that looked nothing like the Metal Gear Solids of the past, as Platinum Games have not been shy in putting their stamp on it. It has since been revealed that Rising is not simply an existing project handed over to a new developer, but that the original concept was secretly canned at an unspecified time in the past, only to be revived when PG expressed an interest and started it almost from scratch.

It has long been rumoured that Platinum Games are developing Rising – rumours that Kojima avoided and PG denied in an interview last summer – but it was still a surprise to most of us when their role was confirmed. Nonsensical sub headings aside – the suggestion that the two studios considered merging and creating Kojinum Games has been confirmed only in my head – the announcement set the interwebs alight with panic, excitement and despair that led to both Hideo Kojima and PG’s Atsushi Inaba coming to the forefront, following months of silence. Inaba jumped to the games defence on twitter, accepting that public reaction had been mixed, establishing PG’s reverence for MGS but making it clear that they wanted to create something different, which they certainly appear to have done.

I saw a lot of Vanquish in the trailer, which is no bad thing

The bombastic trailer throws series convention to the wind, shedding the serious overtones of the Solid franchise and replacing it with eighties fonts, head-on combat and electric guitar riffs. These changes have left purists questioning the use of the Metal Gear moniker, though it is important that we make the distinction between Metal Gear Solid, a canon to which Rising does not belong, and Metal Gear. Revengeance – I already loath that word – is a standalone, spin off and we shouldn’t limit PG’s aspirations by trying to tie it down where it doesn’t quite belong.

Personally, I am torn with Rising. Although I was luke warm to the prospect of another Raiden led entry, as a huge fan of the series I was still looking forward to a new MGS and intrigued by a fresh combat model. Part of me feels like Revengeance is a misuse use of the series – I had to swallow a bit of sick when I first saw Raiden flip a metal gear with one hand – but from what the trailer revealed, this is far more Platinum Games than a continuation of what came before. I saw a lot of Vanquish in the teaser, a really fun game but also a very shallow one, that makes me think this has the potential to a be an entertaining outing, but strictly on the developer’s terms.

I don’t necessarily share the enthusiasm that many show for Platinum Games, as Mad World and the forthcoming Anarchy Reigns hold no interest, and I thought Bayonetta was an uneven adventure that was far too quirky for its own good, though I’m sure many of my colleagues here at Critical Gamer would disagree. PG’s lack of interest in character development and a penchant for terrible voice acting and dialogue does make me wonder why they would be chosen to breathe life into a dead Rising, when script and dialogue has always been a key element of Kojima’s games.

When I come to play Revengeance, I’ll try not to hold familiarity against it. I’ll judge it on its own merits, as an OTT action game that happens to have borrowed a title and a few characters from a series that I love. Platinum Games involvement should free-up Hideo Kojima to really get stuck into the mysterious “Project Ogre” and, who knows, it may even turn out to be the perfect palette cleanser for the long running series and the nudge that Kojima needs to get moving on Metal Gear Solid 5. Let’s just hope a dictionary is consulted before the next game is christened, as I don’t think my poor spell-check will survive another bout of Revengeance.

• Format: PS3 (version reviewed), 360, PC, Wii
• Unleashed: Out Now
• Publisher: Activision
• Developer: Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games
• Players: 1-18
• Site: http://www.callofduty.com/mw3

Call of Duty is a peculiar series. Each year it shifts millions of copies and is greeted with near unanimous critical praise, yet it also attracts a special kind of hatred from a vocal segment of the gaming community that consider it a microcosm of everything that is wrong with modern gaming.  If Call of Duty is to be an acquired taste, then with Modern Warfare 3 it’s one that is more refined than ever.

The singleplayer campaign is exactly what we have come to expect from Modern Warfare: a relatively short rollercoaster ride, punctuated by memorable set pieces. The narrative doesn’t quite reach the heights of the original Modern Warfare, but it succeeds in telling an engaging story which revisits familiar characters like Captain Price, Soap and villain extraordinaire Makarov. It’s fun controlling these violent men, but war is never glorified in a dark tale that focuses on a bleak near-future, where life is cheap and atrocities par for the course.

There is a lot of jumping around between various playable characters, especially in the early stages; but the narrative is far more coherent than Modern Warfare 2, though no less outrageous. Characters are better linked and relationships more clearly defined, though those new to the series may struggle to keep abreast of who’s killing who, and why exactly they are at each other’s throats.

The supporting cast is still full of generic characters who spout the kind of hoo-ra gibberish that might have you eyeing the mute button, but the perfectly paced plot and tight combat makes you more forgiving of these caricatures, as does an outstanding final third where every loose end is tied up. Aside from the ludicrous and ill-fitting death quotes that do their best to kill the atmosphere, it is otherwise an immersive experience throughout.

The campaign clocks in at a lean five hours, though it feels about right, as the spectacle would be in danger of losing some of its lustre were it a more prolonged experience. A great deal is packed into those hours, as you find yourself speeding through the streets of Paris in an old fashioned car chase and even storming a skyscraper fortress dressed like Robocop. With moments like these, Infinity Ward have proven yet again that they know exactly how to create the most polished and exciting kind of singleplayer, FPS experience.

Once you have finished with the campaign, MW3 nudges you towards the Special Ops mode; a welcome return from Modern Warfare 2 that significantly extends the game’s shelf life. This collection of 16 short-burst missions may be enjoyed alone or in co-op, and are great to dip in and out of. In answer to Treyarch’s popular Nazi Zombies, a survival mode has been introduced where you must outlast countless waves of enemies spread across surprisingly spacious maps, either on your lonesome or with a friend. Despite offering 100% less rotting fascists, it’s still fairly entertaining, though in comparison to the riches found elsewhere on the disc it will probably be of limited appeal.

Competitive multiplayer is better than ever before, thanks to a number of new editions that tweak the existing formula, as well as the new Elite service. An impressive sixteen levels are on offer, some better than others, from tight corridors to more cavernous settings that play host to the bigger matches on the playlist. All the standard deathmatch and objective based modes are present, alongside the welcome edition of Kill Confirmed – a brilliant team deathmatch variant where you must collect dog tags from your vanquished foes to score, an objective that discourages camping and rewards exciting and risky dashes for precious shinies.

Pointstreaks replace the killstreaks of old and offer a more nuanced set of rewards to support every kind of player. Completing objectives as well as racking up kills will contribute to any one of three streak types. The Assault package is most like the killstreaks of old; the Support set awards bonuses that benefit your team more directly, and your kill count does not reset when you die; and finally the Specialist option is best suited to more advanced players who are able to string together murderous rampages without croaking, offering stackable perks that make you more powerful the longer you survive. This restructuring makes a huge difference and rewards players who don’t only play for kill counts, as well as opening up more impressive perks to players of all abilities.

With the notable exception of a much desired mute-all button, Modern Warfare 3 is arguably the most feature rich and well-rounded FPS multiplayer around. Alongside the excellent campaign and the addition of Special Ops and Survival mode, it is an exhaustive package that will keep the fanbase more than happy and the naysayers spitting venom until next November rolls around. Sounds like business as usual then.

As discussed on the most recent episode of Critical Talk, I recently wrapped-up the main story in Batman Arkham City. The mini-sandbox was a double edged sword, as the distractions are fun and helped to add layers to the universe but at the cost of the relative linearity that kept Arkham Asylum so focused and engrossing. However, I loved the story and characters, and the city was as atmospheric as it was dangerous.

As good as everything else was, it’s the balletic yet weighty combat that’s the real star, as was the case with Asylum before it. While it may be easy to jump into, it does take a while to master but is well worth the effort. Once you come to understand the rhythm of the smackdowns, how to move fluidly between foes and how best to utilize the different moves and gadgets at your disposal, you have one of the most satisfying combat systems around. In Arkham City, each and every ruckus is full of joy, no matter how severely outnumbered you may be.

Combat is central to AC’s ability to rise above the countless superhero disappointments of the past. But just as flawless combat can elevate a game to a different level, broken or superfluous rough-housing can be infuriating and completely overwhelm positive aspects of even the most promising of titles. For example, Mirror’s Edge would’ve been a much better game minus the frustrating hand-to-hand shenanigans and the unfair and out of place firearms that the game constantly goaded you into picking up.

As frustrating as being shot whilst scurrying up a drainpipe may be, the baffling inclusion of combat in ICO is in a league of its own. The release of the ICO HD Collection finally gave me the opportunity to fully experience Fumito Ueda’s two modern classics – Shadow of the Colossus being the other. I initially struggled with the infuriating camera and grew tired of constantly being lost in a castle that, in places, is a rather dull and hollow abode. However, I soon began to warm to its charms and enjoy the simple relationship between Yorda and Ico, taking to heart her complete reliance upon a child who, despite being kidnapped and utterly lost, takes it upon himself to protect and guide a delicate and unknown companion. As the boundaries of the castle moved outwards, I found myself being treated to stunning vistas and increasingly aware of the simple yet effective soundtrack of seagulls, chains and echoes, punctuated by the occasional pleas from boy or girl.

If you don't give me a bloody sword I'll jump!

However, my limited time with ICO – Arkham City caused me to reluctantly abandon it three hours in – was hounded by combat so unnecessary and ill-conceived that it soured the entire experience and served to constantly remind me that I was playing a very dated game. I understand the role of the persistent wraiths that try to snatch Yorda from your grasp, as it makes you reluctant to leave her alone for any significant period of time and reminds you that you are not alone; but it could have been handled so much better. Forgive me for suggesting it, but perhaps this would have been one instance where QTEs would have worked wonders; the wraiths snatch Yorda and a series of swift button presses either reclaim or relinquish control of her.

The symbol of this shambolic combat is the mighty stick. It was my lone weapon for the majority of the time and is as useless as tits on a bull. Uncontrollable swings of this oversized splinter would strike walls, doors and every other inanimate object in sight that doesn’t require a beating. Time and time again, a soulless wraith would trundle off with Yorda slung over its shoulder, as I busied myself with laying into a wall. The most impotent of weapons, it barely registered when I finally made contact with the wisp-like enemies. I could almost feel each wasted lunge shooting up my arm, conveying the sensation of a missed swing that wrenches every muscle in the upper body. I hope Ico has a capable masseuse.

It doesn’t really get much better once steel is introduced, as the lack of a lock-on feature means that you will still be twatting walls more often than not, the only difference being that the thud of timber on stone is now replaced with a metallic chime. Every time I was forced to swing that weapon, it took me back outside of an experience that had started to enthral me, and I was no longer enchanted by the simple beauty of two lonely figures traversing a barren ruin, frustrated instead by unwanted confrontation.

Much like multiplayer modes, combat is sometimes shoved in where its not needed. We all enjoy hitting people with a big stick, but sometimes its nice to go on an adventure without having to batter someone to death. Unless of course you’re Batman, in which case you should always be spoiling for a fight.

Before sitting down and getting stuck into Asura’s Wrath, I was given a friendly warning by a Capcom employee not to expect a typical demo. This wasn’t just PR hyperbole, as it turned out to be by far the most difficult demo I’ve come across in six years of attending TGS, and one that gave me a real sense of achievement once I’d finally finished it.

As well as offering up a real challenge, Asura’s Wrath took a rather unusual form for a fifteen minute demo. Instead of offering up a range of gameplay features, representative of the full experience, it focused solely on a hard-as-nails boss fight; which although probably not indicative of the entire experience, certainly gave a strong indication of its style: O.T.T action from start to finish. This will be of little surprise to those of you who have seen the early trailers which featured our fallen deity, Asura, battling a planet sized god and attempting to halt a giant finger the size of a skyscraper.

As if the breakneck and devastating combat between Asura and his overpowered foe wasn’t ridiculous enough, the battle is set on the moon and concludes with our protagonist hurtling through space towards Earth, skewered on the end of a giant sword. His six arms begin to disintegrate as he enters the earth’s atmosphere, leaving him with just the regular two – though these painful amputations didn’t seem to bother him all that much.

Between earth/moon shattering blows, our burly pair bark at each other in the gruffest of voices, each doing his best impression of Kratos in an especially foul mood. I quickly learned to ignore the nonsense each was spouting and instead focused on the combat, which kept me on my toes throughout. I have seen it likened elsewhere to games as varied as God of War, Virtual On, Street Fighter IV and even Fist of the North Star – all of which are apt comparisons – though ultimately it managed to achieve a style all of its own. I was armed with the standard heavy and light attacks, as well as blast, all of which dealt substantial damage when they found their target. But things were not quite that simple, as cornering my nimble foe was more difficult than getting Sony to give a concrete release date for The Last Guardian.

Without the ability to block, jumping and dodging became skills worth mastering, especially during the latter stages which required quick reflexes to squeeze through a bombardment of light beams. Once I had wreaked enough havoc, a much needed unlimited mode became available. Suitably powered up, and faster than ever, I could finally land some combos, which sent my opponent reeling. This reliance upon stringing together powerful attacks made Asura’s Wrath feel right at home sat next to Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and Street Fighter X Tekken at the Capcom event.

The two pronged battle was riddled with QTEs. At times they felt intuitive and very much part of the experience, but at others more tacked-on and superfluous. For better or worse, QTEs will be present throughout the game and look set to feature heavily in the boss battles.

I certainly hope that Asura’s Wrath will turn out as unique and memorable as its challenging demo. Although it shed very little light on how the rest of the game will be structured, it certainly grabbed my attention with its combat mechanics and a visual style all of its own. Look for more information on this PS3 and 360 title as we get closer to 2012.

• Format: PS3 (version reviewed), 360
• Unleashed: Out Now
• Publisher: EA
• Developer: Grasshopper Manufacture
• Players: 1
• Site: http://www.ea.com/shadows-of-the-damned

Shadows of the Damned was a Suda 51 project from the outset. The CEO of Grasshopper Manufacture, and the man behind Killer 7 and No More Heroes, Suda was eventually joined by Shinji Mikami – the creator of Resident Evil, Devil May Cry and more recently Vanquish – in the role of creative producer. The final, high-profile member to join the team was composer Akira Yamaoka, best known for his work on the Silent Hill series.

Despite its other noteworthy contributors, Shadows of the Damned is a Suda 51 game through and through, and your opinion of his previous work is likely to dictate whether or not you pick it up. However, it can be enjoyed by any gamer, irrelevant of their fondness for OTT violence, juvenile humour and gobshite protagonists.

We join Garcia Hotspur, our foul-mouthed, demon hunting lead in search of his girlfriend who has been kidnapped by the demon lord, Flemming. Garcia and his ex-demon side-kick Johnson – a skull that transforms into a variety of weapons – traverse the varied locales of the underworld in search of this blonde-bombshell. Despite being rather juvenile – Garcia’s arsenal includes the phallic Hot Boner and the imaginatively titled Big Boner – the journey is an entertaining and engaging one.

The underworld is a rich and varied setting; far more than the collection of lava and torture devices that has too often passed as a video game hell. It displays the sense of style that Grasshopper are well known for, and when the poor jokes have been long forgotten it will be the aesthetics of a unique rendition of hell that you’ll best recall. It starts off in a rather pedestrian Victorian looking town, but over the course of 8 hours you will be led through a collection of striking locales. From a dank village that wouldn’t look out of place in Resident Evil, to an evil bowling alley, there is so much to see.

The fruits of Suda 51′s twisted mind, these settings could have felt somewhat disparate without Yamaoka’s brilliant score bringing them all together. Covering a spectrum of genres, from Spanish guitar to a spot of metal, this eclectic set of tracks does wonders for the atmosphere. Time and time again your ears will prick-up as you are introduced to a new piece of music, completely unlike anything else heard elsewhere in the game, yet perfectly suited to the moment and setting from which it emerged.

The subtlety that is to be found in the score does not carry over to the combat, which is brash, bloody and at times infuriating. There are three firearms – a handgun, machine gun and shotgun – but they are far more weird and wonderful than they initially sound. Levelling up as you progress, they tear through the legions of the damned, shooting bones, teeth and skulls at their fleshy targets, as well as offering some explosive secondary modes.

Combat is partially concerned with the movement between light and shadow; the demons prefer the darkness whereas Garcia will quickly perish if he lingers for too long outside of the glare. Each gun offers a light mode, which can be used to momentarily stop marauding enemies in their tracks and ignite lanterns and goat-headed chandeliers, which dispel the darkness. Many of the boss encounters revolve around this manipulation of light and dark, offering some of the most exciting and challenging moments of the game. However, the less said about the time consuming, bullet-sponge final boss the better.

The third person controls do take a bit of getting use to and are entirely unpolished. You will be tearing your hair out as you sprint straight into walls and bounce into the clutches of an instant death enemy, and swearing more freely than Hotspur as yet another bullet sails through an enemy, undetected. Some sort of auto-aim would have been a god send, and you have to wonder why such a simple addition would be left out.

Unlike many of Shinji Mikami’s past games, Shadows of the Damned offers no new-game+ or bonus features to make you want to return after the first run-through. Non-stackable difficulty trophies/achievements are a shallow attempt to get you to return, perfectly demonstrating the laziness that hounds certain aspects of the game. This is in stark contrast to those elements that clearly interested its creators far more and were lavished with attention, such as the setting, music and outlandish characters.

Picking faults with Shadows of the Damned is like shooting fish in a barrel, but by doing so you would be ignoring its many qualities and the simple fact that it is a very entertaining game. It will keep you on your toes throughout, offering rich and varied gameplay, such as one section which ditches the third-person action for a side scrolling shooter, featuring simple but charming cut-out visuals.

As with any Suda 51 game, you have to be willing to take the rough with the smooth. If you are prepared to see past its various shortcomings, there is one hell of an adventure to be had, one that is as exciting as it is eccentric. Just remember to ask your Grandma to leave the room before you start playing.

Resident Evil Revelations is a return to the pace and style of earlier entries in Capcom’s successful, survival horror series, and it feels just right running on the 3DS. The visuals are sharp, the lighting impressive and the 3D subtle, making for a surprisingly atmospheric, portable experience.

The TGS demo followed series stalwart Jill Valentine – the master of unlocking – through the dimly lit corridors of an antiquated cruise ship that looks to be an intriguing place to explore. The game is seen from an over-the-shoulder perspective, much like in RE 4 and 5, allowing you to take in most of your surroundings whilst retaining some vital blind spots to keep you guessing. The impressive visuals and eerie sound effects create a chilling atmosphere, as fog hugs the floor of an abandoned dining hall and unseen creatures scratch away behind locked doors. The more social of these monstrosities were humanoid in nature, yet a far cry from your standard zombie, and could take a pounding before crumpling to the floor in a bloody heap. Fortunately, they were rather slow footed, but once within striking distance they became quite a handful.

Ammunition and health pick-ups were at a premium throughout. On more than one occasion I resorted to fleeing confrontation as I found myself out of ammo, forced to drag my ailing body in the other direction in search of a precious herb. I could barely contain my excitement when I stumbled upon a shotgun, though predictably it came with only a precious few shells. If the stage in question is anything to go by, then Revelations will demand sensible rationing and the ability to wield a knife as effectively as a firearm.

The controls are familiar, despite being on a portable, and although the demo did not require it, the final version will support the additional, circle pad peripheral. Revelations retains some of the stiffness of movement from previous games, which serves to make every enemy encounter that much more intense, whilst not being too clunky or reliant on sharp, right angled movement. However, I did struggle to get accustomed to the switch to a first person view point when aiming a weapon – a shift that did not appear to be optional during the demo. It felt slightly disjointed from the rest of the game, and did not offer the accuracy or responsiveness that you would usually equate with first person shooting.

Resident Evil Revelations is shaping-up to be the survival horror experience that Mercenaries had no intention of being, with exploration and puzzle solving front and centre. This return to vintage was apparent from the opening moments, when I had to drain a bath full of sludge to reveal a missing key and tackle a fuse-box puzzle. Expect plenty of creaky floorboards, crank puzzles and grotesque creatures when Revelations drops in 2012, exclusively for the 3DS.

Gunpei Yokoi had the golden touch. In three decades with Nintendo he worked on classics such as Donkey Kong, Mario Bros., Kid Icarus and Metroid; games which came to define the Kyoto based company and ensured global success. Yokoi was also an accomplished inventor, creating the Game & Watch which would go on to sell over 43 million units worldwide (this, and all subsequent figures are taken from Wikipedia).

Legend has it that in 1979, whilst riding the Bullet Train, he took note of a businessman amusing himself by playing with an LCD calculator. This chance encounter was the genesis of the Game & Watch, as Yokoi went about designing a handheld game ideal for killing time and saving salarymen from having to spell BOOBLESS on a calculator to keep themselves amused.

From the Game & Watch was born another of Yokoi’s inventions – the Nintendo Game Boy – one of the most influential and best-selling consoles of all time. Released in 1989, the 8-bit handheld was a phenomenon, outselling and outliving a number of technically superior products. Between the original model and the later Game Boy Colour, it shifted almost 120 million units worldwide.

Gunpei Yokoi would leave Nintendo in 1996. Moving to Bandai, he developed the WonderSwan – a Japan only handheld – but he was tragically killed in a car accident a year later, aged 56. He left an unmatched legacy of innovation and flair for designing products with mass appeal. While the Game Boy may have been the most memorable of his creations, his final contribution at Nintendo, The Virtual Boy, would prove disastrous; and became the biggest failure in their illustrious history.

The first gaming console capable of 3D graphics “straight out of the box”, the Virtual Boy was a portable in only the very loosest sense of the word. Consisting of a head-set, stand and controller, it required a flat surface to play comfortably and leaves the player oblivious to what is going on in their peripheries. The VB was most definitely not designed for playing on the train.

The VB achieved its 3D effect with a distinctive palette of monochromatic reds, after it was discovered that full colour visuals would create a double-vision effect, as opposed to a sensation of depth. Powered by six AAA batteries, it was as ugly as it was unwieldy, sharing none of the ergonomic design of the Game Boy.

Gunpei Yokoi

Unveiled in November 1994, it tapped into the Virtual Reality craze – one that would be rather short lived – and generated a great deal of interest from consumers unsure of how the 3D effect would be displayed. Japanese gamers discovered for themselves on July 21 1995 for the sum of ¥15,000, and America would get it three weeks later, priced at $180. Mario’s Tennis, Red Alarm, Galactic Pinball and Teleroboxer constituted a decent launch selection, but it would be slim pickings the rest of the way for VB owners.

Due to its short lifespan and Nintendo’s reluctance to support third party development for fear of a dip in software quality, only 22 individual games were ever released (Japan had the choice of 19 titles, North America 14), making it one of the most under-supported platforms in gaming history. 3D Tetris proved to be the system’s swansong, and Virtual Boy Wario Land is widely regarded as the high watermark for the failed piece of kit.

It was an unequivocal flop, shipping only 800,000 units worldwide before being discontinued in Japan within a year of release. Units were reportedly available for as little as ¥980 once the VB had been officially discontinued, which is surprising considering its current status as an expensive collector’s item.

The VB’s failure cannot be narrowed down to one single cause, but rather a number of factors which had it doomed from the word go. Consumers were unconvinced by the 3D effect, something which couldn’t be conveyed through screenshots. This remains a problem sixteen years later, as the 3DS struggles to get off the ground. Without trying the VB first hand, potential customers couldn’t experience the revolutionary display, and magazine screenshots conveyed only simple, red and black monochromatic images which were a disservice to the product.

With the coming of the fifth generation, and the impressive leap in visuals offered by the Saturn and PlayStation, the high retail price of the VB was not palatable. Due to its clumsy, unportable design, the VB was compared not to its true portable competitors, as Nintendo had intended, but to the new era of home consoles instead. That was not a battle Nintendo could win, nor one it wished to fight.

Rumours circulated that the VB had a detrimental effect on long-term vision and that it could cause epileptic fits. Though these claims were largely false, Nintendo couldn’t deny that users were complaining of headaches and eye strain after extended sessions, and their own health warnings perpetuated the belief that the VB was dangerous. After every 15-30 minutes of play, a menu appears on-screen asking the player if they would like to take a break. Game and console manuals were littered with alarming health warnings, such as the following:

“This product MUST NOT be used by children under the age of seven years. Artificial stereo vision displays may not be safe for such children and may cause serious, permanent damage to their vision”

“Failure to follow all instructions could injure you and cause serious damage to your vision or hearing”

These statements didn’t imbue consumers with confidence and it is difficult to comprehend why such a product, largely aimed at children, would be considered fit for release. I own a Virtual Boy and can attest that, on the few occasions that I have played it for more than 10 minutes, I have been left feeling slightly nauseous, with a red, goggle-shaped imprint left around the eyes!

Trust me, this is 3D

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but the VB was clearly destined for failure and one must wonder why Nintendo, a company with a track record of quality products, would have released it in the first place and how, more specifically, a Yokoi project could be so spectacularly flawed. It has been suggested by some, including David Sheff in Game Over, that Yokoi never expected the console to be released in its present form and was pressed into finishing it prematurely, so that Nintendo could focus on the Nintendo 64 and its forthcoming battle with SEGA and Sony.

Yokoi left Nintendo soon after. Some claim he was forced out, his reputation tarnished by the colossal failure, whereas others are adamant that it was always his intention to depart Nintendo once the development of the VB was complete. Whatever the case, it was a sad end to a very profitable relationship and the end of an era for both the inventor and for Nintendo, who would continue to lose market share until hitting back with the Wii a decade later. It would tragically be Yokoi’s last major contribution to the industry he worked so hard to champion.

The VB is a strange piece of kit. The idea of a dedicated, 3D console was a novel one and is being explored again this generation with the 3DS, which has thus far been met with consumer apathy. There was, and continues to be, a certain amount of indifference to 3D gaming, and no matter how well the Virtual Boy had been designed, it would still likely have failed.

The simplistic visuals of the Game Boy were less of a hurdle than those of the VB, as they were outweighed by the quality of the software and the compact nature and low cost of the hardware. Afforded none of these luxuries, the VB’s primitive looking graphics made it appear antiquated at the start of the fifth generation, and not the first step towards the future of gaming as Nintendo had hoped.

If the future of gaming lies in true 3D (consider me sceptical), then we may come to look at the VB in a more favourable light; a forward looking console that went all in with the 3D fad when previous consoles had only dared dabble. But that would ignore the simple fact that it was, and remains, a badly designed and ill-conceived mistake by a company and creator who had rarely put a foot wrong. Still, it does make for an interesting conversation piece, collecting dust on my living room shelves.

With all the hype surrounding the current beta for Uncharted 3 and the runaway success of part 2, it is easy to forget about the game that started it all – Uncharted: Drakes Fortune. Although it may not have the celebrated multiplayer of its offspring, it does share the fluid gameplay, visual flare, exciting plot and likeable characters, and stands as one of the most important games of the last five years.

Long before Uncharted, California based developer Naughty Dog rose to prominence with the PS1 platformer, Crash Bandicoot. In 2001, off the back of this success, the studio was bought by Sony where they continued to make games exclusively for the PlayStation brand – most notably Jak and Daxter, which would spawn two direct, critically acclaimed sequels.

With the coming of the PS3, Naughty Dog moved away from their expertise and began work on Drake’s Fortune. An action-adventure game with 3D platforming and third person shooter elements, Uncharted was released in winter 2007 and shifted 3.5 million copies within its first eighteen months. It was one of the first platform-exclusive titles to warrant shelling-out for the pricey PS3, and gave Sony’s console a much needed push over the holiday season. With the arrival of Uncharted, working two jobs to afford a PS3 suddenly seemed a little less ludicrous, much to the relief of Ken Kutaragi.

Uncharted was the result of Naughty Dog being tasked with showcasing the capabilities of the new platform. They opted for a new IP instead of continuing the Jak and Daxter franchise, as it would better allow them to show-off the new hardware and feature more realistic character models and effects that weren’t possible on the PS2. Despite some supernatural elements and our charismatic lead, Nathan Drake, possessing exaggerated abilities, Naughty Dog wanted to create a game grounded in reality, populated with real, believable and down to earth characters.  To help with this sense of reality the plot would include some loose historical references and revolve around the treasures of Nathan’s ancestor, Sir Francis Drake.

Uncharted drew influences from a number of varied sources. It owes a great debt to matinee movies and pulp action adventures of the past, as well as more modern films like Indiana Jones. It also borrowed elements from a number of popular video game series, including Tomb Raider and Gears of War. Visually, however, Uncharted would blaze its own path separate to those of its gaming influences. Naughty Dog strived to move away from the greys and darker palettes of similar titles like Tomb Raider, a game which Uncharted was constantly being compared, even being labelled “Dude Raider” by the press. The result was a lush and vibrant island setting, full of colour and a veritable playground for the player to explore.

These detailed, open spaces are still very impressive, in particular the water effects which made full use of the new hardware. My most vivid memory of playing Uncharted for the first time is wading through a marooned and partially-flooded submarine and being in awe of the realistic water effects, where the crystal clear waters shimmer, glisten and ripple as you dip in and out. The water effects are a microcosm of the stunning visuals and attention to detail that is present throughout.

Drake is cast as the every-man hero and his actions, though exaggerated, do feel plausible as he constantly avoids death by the skin of his teeth. He is beaten and bruised throughout, leaping around in his grubby t-shirt, ever lamenting his current situation.  He has great chemistry with his on-off partner, Sully, and their amusing banter helps to develop their rapport. Intrepid journalist Elena is far more interesting than the average female sidekick that these kinds of adventures seem to generate, and their relationship is a heart-warming one. These memorable characters are brought to life by the actors who portray them both in action and voice. Nolan North has come to own the Drake character to the point that it is slightly uncomfortable hearing him in different roles, such as the Prince of Persia and Desmond in the Assassin’s Creed series.

At times Naughty Dog were overwhelmed with the new possibilities offered by the PS3, but through extensive trial and error they familiarized themselves with the new technology. The finished result was a game which looked head and shoulders better than the competition and played as well as anything on the market. Uncharted was one of the first titles to make use of the motion functions of the Sixaxis controller, being one of only a handful of titles to be demoed alongside the new controller at Tokyo Game Show. It was also an early adopter of trophies, introducing a patch in August 2008, integrating them smoothly with the already available, in-game medals.

It would achieve a near perfect balance of gameplay styles, mixing platforming with smooth combat and puzzles. A common theme throughout the numerous “Making Of” documentaries available on Youtube is Naughty Dog’s desire to make all aspects of gameplay feel just right. They had plenty of sections which looked great, but if they didn’t feel good they were quickly jettisoned. This may go some way to explaining the relatively short run-time, but it is hard to argue with the quality of what is present.

The platforming is intuitive, but never falls into the trap of being too simple – as seen in Enslaved for example.  The combat is hugely satisfying and they nailed the cover system on the first attempt, making it effortless to pop out of cover to steal a cheeky head-shot, accompanied by one the most satisfying sound-effects in gaming, and then duck straight back out of sight. Melee is great fun, offering an excellent alternative to shooting your way out of every situation, and puzzles, short vehicle sections and some treasure hunting round out an excellent and uncluttered package.

Drake’s Fortune struck a chord with gamers and gave early adopters of the PS3 something to brag about. We took Nathan Drake, the most loveable of rogues, under our wing; a character who we couldn’t help but sympathize and relate to, despite his sociopathic behaviour. With a tropical setting full of treasure, obstacles to climb and leap off, lots of guns and plenty of villains to point them at, Uncharted is a boyhood dream. We could finally take the role of Indie, minus the whip, and it is just as much fun as we imagined when we were ten years old, jumping out of trees and looking for buried treasure in the back garden.

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune set the standard and the series has yet to disappoint. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves continued the excellence, cementing Nathan Drake as one of the most popular protagonists in modern gaming and Naughty Dog as a premier developer. They seamlessly added a multiplayer component at a time when it was fashionable to do so, but unlike many of its contemporaries, it absolutely belonged there and I can no longer imagine Uncharted without competitive and co-op multiplayer. The beta for Uncharted 3 is predictably brilliant and although it isn’t developed by Naughty Dog, Uncharted’s forthcoming portable debut Golden Abyss looks promising. Who knows, perhaps even the troubled movie will turn out to be half decent, even without Naughty Dog’s Midas touch.

Once upon a time, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune was considered a rather derivative game, but only three and a half years later it has become the benchmark by which other adventures are judged. We may now speculate how Uncharted-like the new Tomb Raider reboot will be – the very same Uncharted which was once referred to as “Dude Raider”. What started in the early days of the PS3 with an unfamiliar treasure hunter recovering a coffin from the ocean floor has since developed into one of the most celebrated series in modern gaming, and it shows no signs of letting-up.

Empire Bay is a detailed and vast recreation of an East coast, 1940-50s US city. A fictional metropolis which resembles parts of a number of iconic American cities, it is the most impressive and memorable part of last year’s Mafia II.

Despite being set in an urban sandbox it is a linear game devoid of side missions and optional narrative paths. You awake at the beginning of each chapter, receive a phone call from a friend, undertake a straightforward mission which is guaranteed to go tits-up, then spend the rest of the day trying to pick up the pieces before heading back home and hitting the hay. With the exception of the 159 collectable wanted posters plastered across the city, Mafia II offers no impetus to give in to your wanderlust.

Finishing the campaign and deciding to mop up some of the remaining trophies, I began to fully explore a city which had only been teased during the course of the game. In doing so I was truly astonished by the detail on display and the effort that must have gone into its creation. Alleys, back roads and huge plots of land that were left undiscovered during the campaign displayed the same level of detail as the more visible main streets and buildings.

Behind uninviting chain link fences lay abandoned workshops, their facades lovingly decorated with detailed period posters of consumer goods. Turn the corner and you might find a mechanic working on a car or a homeless gentleman slumped against a dumpster. At the far end of a seemingly inaccessible labyrinth of warehouses are countless labourers milling around waiting to be found. Expensive chalets await in the hills overlooking the city, where wealthy residents sit under a parasol enjoying ice cold lemonade. I would wager that the vast majority of Mafia II gamers will never stumble upon these hidden treasures as it makes no attempt to lead you towards them.

Mafia II is part of an increasing trend of sandbox games this generation, a pattern which may largely be traced back to the huge success of the Grand Theft Auto series, in particular GTA IV. When done well, an open world can be an exciting playground, but when the execution isn’t up to scratch it can be a distraction that consumes all else in the game and is liable to become repetitive, fast. Mafia II features an exemplar sandbox, yet does so little with it, which begs the question; why set a linear game in a sandbox? Creating a city on the scale of Empire Bay must be a time consuming and costly proposition, but increasingly it has become the norm as developers are not averse to creating worlds that outgrow the stories and characters living within them. 2010’s Just Cause 2 is a perfect example of this.

After nine hours Rico finally ran out of road

Whereas Mafia II creates a city, Just Cause 2 created its own country. The fictional South Asian island state of Panau is one of the most impressive and overwhelming open worlds yet, taking in varied terrain including alpine resorts, cities, towns, rainforests and glorious beaches straight out of a holiday brochure. Unlike Mafia II, the majority of the game is non-linear as you travel all over the islands, laying waste to infrastructure in whatever method you see fit.

The story is just as silly as the many daredevil activities which you are encouraged to partake in, taking a back seat to the free-roam fun. It makes no apologies for having the narrative and characters play second fiddle to the setting and extracurricular activities it affords. Just Cause 2 pushes the sandbox to the very limit, but at times it feels like overkill. Travelling in a jet aircraft from one corner of the map to another can take the best part of 5 minutes, and travelling in more pedestrian and easier to find transport becomes a dull and drawn-out affair. Driving through rainforest and seeing no sign of civilization for minutes at a time makes you wonder if the map is attempting anything other than offering an impressive sense of scale.

Large open worlds can feel bare and succumb to repetition, something which Empire Bay avoids with its smaller land mass and attention to detail. Panau falls victim to this, but being more rural than urban and thus offering fewer opportunities for detail, this is not overly surprising. However, Red Dead Redemption’s prairies, deserts, hills and woodland feature only a frugal collection of settlements, yet it is full of character, feeling lived-in and an integral part of RDR’s significant charms. More sparse than the majority of modern sandboxes, it manages to be far more atmospheric than most and allows its interesting inhabitants to take centre stage, never overwhelming the scene. Rockstar excel at creating worlds that are a defining feature, yet are careful not to steal the lime light from the real stars such as Nikko Belic and John Marston.

No matter how hard he looked, John couldn't find a stunt ramp.

One of the ways Rockstar have achieved this level of excellence is through music; a crucial element in creating an immersive open world, helping to build upon the mise-en-scene and establishes mood in a setting that desperately needs to be filled. A quiet sandbox can feel hollow – a lonely place that you are far less likely to want to explore. Driving around Liberty City (GTA IV) is infinitely more enjoyable when listening to the in-game radio stations, and it pulls you in deeper when the DJ refers to places you have just passed, or even plot events.

Mafia II succeeds with its period tunes from artists such as Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters and news reports which detail the aftermath of your latest heist. In the same manner, the low-key sounds and occasional folk songs enrich Red Dead Redemption. Taking this a step further, by putting the musical landscape in the hands of the player, Burnout Paradise challenges you to put your own stamp on Paradise City. The custom soundtrack is fully integrated into the game, giving life to a map otherwise devoid of human presence.

By moving away from the usual single-player confines of an open world map, Red Dead Redemption took the unusual step of utilising its sandbox as a massive multiplayer hub. Usually a rather controlled and rigid entity, it turned the hub into an ideal place to posse up with friends, shoot the shit, other players and NPCs and explore the game outside of competition. Continuing the theme of the vastness and nothingness of the old West, it made the jump from single-player to multi far less jarring and more of a seamless transition, which Burnout Paradise also achieved with stunning results. This is something I hope we see a lot more of in the future as developers try to bridge the gap between single and multiplayer.

Sandboxes come in all shapes and sizes, whether its Rome in Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood or Dead Rising 2′s mall with their invisible barriers, or Just Cause 2′s island state which sticks closest of all to the principals of a truly open world. The best of them display a fine balance between the open world and what’s going on within, and are ever mindful of how small details work to flesh out their setting, be it through the soundtrack or art design. The rest of them fall well short.

I have found myself increasingly drawn to sandbox games of late, and have come to appreciate their charms whilst being very aware of their drawbacks. A good open world game is full of fun distractions, able to draw you attention away from the narrative drive. A great one succeeds in leading you back, knowing that without addictive core gameplay and an engrossing narrative a sandbox is just a big, empty space waiting to be filled.

• Format: PS3
• Unleashed: Out Now
• Publisher: SEGA
• Developer: CS1 Team
• Players: 1
• Site: http://ryu-ga-gotoku.com/four/index.html

Yakuza 4 can be rather overwhelming, even for the most adventurous of gamers. From the outset you are invited to explore every nook and cranny of Kamurocho – a city filled to the brim with sub-stories, side-missions and mini-games which can easily keep you occupied for the best part of 100 hours. It is a distinctive game, one that will further delight the converted but is unlikely to win-over Yakuza detractors.

Picking up the story one year after the events of Yakuza 3, we return to Kamurocho, Tokyo for the vast majority of the game. Kazuma Kiryu, reformed Yakuza and living legend, is back helping the weak by cracking skulls and protecting his kin, but this time he is joined by three other playable protagonists. Each of the four characters enjoys their own section of the game, but their intertwining stories are convincingly drawn together for the final chapter. In a series that has stuck religiously to its established formula this ranks as quite the change, and it is one for the better.

The fifth and perhaps most important star of Yakuza 4 is Kamurocho City. You will be treated to a virtual tour of the neon-lit streets of a very convincing take on Shinjuku’s red light and entertainment district, Kabuki-cho. It is a city that is as alive and vibrant as any urban sandbox that has come before it, feeling both lived-in and characterful. Traversing the streets you will come across young couples chatting about the latest phone app, a solitary salaryman sat in despair in the corner of a burger shop, shady looking men loitering in the park looking for trouble, and the non-stop hustle of an izakaya employee trying to herd customers into his restaurant. You feel like one of the thousands of inhabitants in a city that would carry on without you.

The City is the real star of Yakuza 4

The authenticity of the setting is aided by the decision to retain the original and excellent Japanese voice acting, and the localization comes across as being natural and well scripted. On occasion a conversation will be lost in translation, and that is to be expected from a game so rich in dialogue, but for the vast majority of the time the subtitles feel like the words that should be coming from the mouths of these men.

The city has changed very little since Yakuza 3, with the exception of a few new stores and a subterranean labyrinth of sewers and abandoned malls. But more than the landmarks themselves, it’s the varied activities you can access within that are of interest. Mini-games and sub-stories, which for the most part have absolutely no ramifications upon the narrative, are plentiful and the average gamer will likely only scratch the surface of what’s on offer. In the same vein as Shenmue, mundane events like eating lunch or a trip to the convenience store become mini-adventures – as worthwhile as you are willing to make them.

This time around the hostess bars have made the journey to the West intact, offering a charming but rather repetitive Hostess Maker management sim. Boxcelios 2 is the main draw at the SEGA arcades; an excellent shooter which merits your attention, and between bowling, karaoke, batting cages, casinos, massage parlours and a game of steamy table tennis, there is no shortage of time-wasters to enjoy.

Between beat-downs, Kazuma loves nothing more than belting out a tune at Karaoke

For all its lighter moments and quirky characters, Yakuza 4 can be ruthless in its depiction of violence and nowhere is this more apparent than in its brutal street fights. Much like world map or dungeon encounters in an RPG, you will constantly be the target of over-zealous street gangs and Yakuza looking to start a ruckus. Just as the A-Team before them, our leads seem incapable of killing anyone – one of the few traits which set them apart from the majority of the villains – no matter how fatal their skull crushing finishers appear. Blood spurts from shattered noses and faces contort as teeth fly across the screen and bones are snapped. The unapologetic violence and gritty realism of these street fights (outcome aside) does make the moments when characters catch fire or jump twenty feet into the air that much more jarring, though there has always been an element of the absurd to Yakuza’s violence, especially during boss encounters.

Each character has a distinct fighting style as well as a varied set of moves which helps keep the combat interesting. However, this does mean that you start back at zero once you switch characters, temporarily taking away all your hard earned progress and leaving you frustrated as you move back from powerful combos to elementary strikes and grabs. There are plenty of moves and upgrades on offer, but with the exception of a couple of fights it’s easy to survive by just spamming punch and kick. Overall, the combat is satisfying yet far from perfect and, with no lock-on feature to speak of you will be lashing-out at thin air far too often.

Akiyama introduces a street thug to his knee

Any series set largely in one location with each game spread over tens of hours runs the risk of becoming stale. There are times when you will sigh at the sight of yet another agitated gangster making a bee-line for you, or lose interest in an uninspired delivery mission. To combat this Yakuza 4 expertly utilizes its riveting narrative, knowing just the right time to drop another well-directed extended cut-scene, when to shed light on another aspect of the story or introduce a new player to the intrigue.

Yakuza 4 is like violent Marmite. It’s liable to split opinion and chances are you already know if you are likely to enjoy it. If you appreciate a good story, are drawn to Japanese popular culture and city life, enjoy RPG-like mechanics, repetitive grinding and don’t feel that every activity must have a meaningful outcome, then Yakuza 4 just may end up being your favourite game of 2011.