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Master web developer by trade, Ken guided Pure Xbox through its first incarnation around the time of the Xbox One. Nowadays, you'll find him selling a wealth of retro goodness via SuperChallenge.
Review WRC Powerslide (Xbox 360)
Rally, rally not good.
The prospect of a title that harnesses the soul and overall concept of the classic Neo Geo arcade racing titles such as Mille Miglia (The Great 1000 Miles Rally) and Neo Drift Out, and mixes it with the fun and high quality multiplayer gameplay of Mario Kart 7 is a mouthwatering one, to say the least. When you throw the...
She's back...
When it comes to the social and political issues that surround the dawn of a new era for the game that helped make gaming somewhat more acceptable than it previously was, we’re not expertly placed to comment. Therefore, we won’t. We are expertly placed to talk about the game as a game though, so let’s do that. Tomb Raider is not...
Review Capcom Arcade Cabinet (Xbox 360)
Once more, with feeling.
Another year goes by, and another game publisher has a notable birthday. This year, Capcom is celebrating the formation of its business 30 years ago, in 1983. To mark the occasion, they’re releasing a series of classic arcade titles on Xbox Live Arcade. We assume that when their 35th birthday rolls around during the next...
Review Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (Xbox 360)
Hack-tastic.
Let’s get it right out of the way. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance isn’t your standard Metal Gear title. With Platinum Games (Bayonetta, Vanquish) picking up the developmental reins, it was never going to be and as much as we love the stealth subgenre’s favourite son, it isn’t a bad thing. There are some cunning nods to previous...
Review Under Defeat HD: Deluxe Edition (Xbox 360)
Under Your Skin
42 seconds. That’s how long it will take the average gamer to start cursing, the first time they play Under Defeat. Not at all coincidentally, that's also around about the length of time it will take for them to lose their first life. Fear and panic doesn’t prepend the inevitable expiry, oh no. It just happens. And then it...
Happy New Year!
Some Kinect owners – OK, a lot of Kinect owners – are probably feeling a little bit as if Kinect is done and dusted. A quiet release schedule in 2012, where most of the blockbuster titles that featured Kinect support were limited to voice commands or tacked-on mini-games that didn't work, combined with a somewhat thin release...
Review Kinect Party (Xbox 360)
Ain't no party like a Kinect Party.
Depending on when you pick it up, the decision on whether or not to get Kinect Party is a bit of a no-brainer. For a while after release day, it was available for absolutely no charge and should you have missed out, the price is 800 MSP. The product itself is also a bit of a no-brainer at times too, and while...
Review Toy Story Mania! (Xbox 360)
Somebody's poisoned the waterhole.
Seemingly since the beginning of time, there hasn’t been a festive season that’s gone by where at least one publisher hasn’t reached into their box of previously released titles and decided to port one to a new format just in time for the Christmas rush. And that – unfortunately – is exactly what’s...
News Kinect Christmas Day Deals from Xbox Live
Three titles discounted.
Major Nelson has confirmed that Microsoft's Countdown to 2013 Deals for Christmas Day are somewhat Kinect-heavy. Today, Mini Ninjas Adventures and the awesome Fruit Ninja Kinect have 50% slashed from the price, and are 400 MSP each. Konami's Leedmees has a whopping 75% off (200 MSP) as well. If you already own Fruit Ninja...
News Kinect Party to be Free Until 2013
Double Fine by us!
Major Nelson has just dropped some knowledge on us that confirms that Double Fine's next Kinect title - Kinect Party will launch on December 18th on Xbox Live Arcade. Not only that, friends, but it'll be FREE up until December 31st. That's right! You'll be able to get your hands on the new game - which features eighteen...
News Next Xbox Codename Uncovered
The Kryptos Factor
While everyone winds down for Christmas, some hard-working software engineers will surely be burning the midnight oil over the festive season, thanks to rumours coming from SemiAccurate.com this morning. They're stating that the next-generation Xbox's test system chip - codenamed "Oban" - is all but complete and ready to be...
Competition Win a Limited Edition Fable: The Journey Console!
Spellbinding.
KINECTaku and Microsoft have teamed up to provide a boomer of a competition for you this holiday season. We're giving away an electric blue custom Fable: The Journey Xbox 360 console, complete with Kinect, Kinect Adventures!, a copy of Fable: The Journey, and a copy of Christie Golden's new novel - Fable: Edge of the World. Not only...
Review Red Bull Crashed Ice Kinect (Xbox 360)
Born slippy.
If you aren’t aware of what Red Bull’s “Crashed Ice” event series is, then you’re missing out. In short, the sport of ice cross involves a bunch of ice skater types starting at the top of an icy track that contains all manner of twists, turns, bumps, and jumps, and they have to race to the finish line in the fastest possible...
News Gangnam Style Invades Just Dance, Dance Central
Ride the Horse
The absolute phenomenon that is PSY's "Gangnam Style" has landed as DLC for Just Dance 4, and is coming to Dance Central 3 by the end of the month. In case you didn't know, the track has racked up the best part of 800 million YouTube views and currently holds the Guinness World Record for "Most YouTube Likes" - having amassed some...
Review Need for Speed: Most Wanted (Xbox 360)
Fast and furious.
Back in 2008, when Criterion released Burnout Paradise into the world, they changed people's perceptions about what an open-world racer could truly be. Sweeping vistas, recognizable streets and some truly revolutionary multiplayer gaming were the order of the day, and the gaming public responded well. 2010's Need for Speed: Hot...
Review Home Run Stars (Xbox 360)
Safe! Sort of.
In the past, Xbox Live Arcade has been a veritable treasure trove of cheap and addictive titles that make really good use of Kinect. Generally built from the ground up with Kinect in mind, games such as Fruit Ninja Kinect and Haunt have kept gamers interested in Microsoft's motion device, and that looks set to continue as we head...
News Kung Fu Superstar Leaps to Kickstarter
Fifth of a million.
The web's most popular crowdfunding site - Kickstarter - opened its doors to UK-based projects this morning, and one of the first on deck was former Lionhead staffer Kostas Zarifis. He and his new team - collectively known as Kinesthetic Games - announced back in May that they were working on a martial arts title for current...
News SmartGlass Comes To Forza Horizon
Tablet-tastic.
Microsoft and Turn 10 have released the official SmartGlass app for Forza Horizon today. Dubbed the "Forza Horizon SmartGlass Experience", the app comes as a free download for Windows 8 PCs and provides gamers with a tablet-based interactive map of the game's take on Colorado. Players can view the entire map and zoom in using pinch...
Review Forza Horizon (Xbox 360)
Open your world.
When it comes to racing games, Turn 10 are undoubtedly the kings of the track on the Xbox 360. Their Forza Motorsport series has hit the nail on the head more often than not, with super-slick visuals and an unmatched attention to detail causing petrolheads to drool. This spin-off however, has been handled by Playground Games, a team...
Review Fable: The Journey (Xbox 360)
The road less travelled?
Let’s get this sorted right away. Fable: The Journey isn’t an on-rails experience. Well, it is and it isn’t. Ok, it’s about half and half. But when you’re not being moved about automatically, you’re controlling a horse and cart that can only really go in one direction. So it kind of is. But you can choose which...
News Free Kinect Game from Intel Goes Live
Featuring Chris Evans, Chanel Iman, and LMFAO.
Finally, a nice bit of good news for Kinect fans this morning. Intel have released their free Kinect game on Xbox Live Arcade overnight. The game - named Intel Discovered - stars Chris Evans (Scott Pilgrim vs The World, Captain America: The First Avenger), Victoria's Secret model Chanel Iman, and...
Review Kinect Sesame Street TV (Xbox 360)
Big Bird's Big Let-Down
After seeing the potential of Kinect-based learning with Kinect Nat Geo TV earlier this week, we were looking forward to visiting our old friends down on Sesame Street. If older kids could be coaxed into mixing learning into their downtime, we were sure that the same could be said for an even younger crowd, especially given...
Review Kinect Nat Geo TV (Xbox 360)
Lions, and tigers, and bears! Oh, my!
Did you know that the mountain lion is the largest member of the cat family that actually purrs? No? Neither did we, although thanks to Kinect Nat Geo TV, we do now. With some games, you feel a bit of apprehension when it comes to loading them up for review. It has the be said that the prospect of finding out...
News Nike+ Kinect Training Demo Goes Live
Get your sweat on.
Major Nelson has confirmed that a demo of Microsoft's Nike+ Kinect Training is now available from Xbox Live. Those without Xbox Live Gold will be able to pick it up from the 18th. The new fitness product is designed for "the elite or the everyday athlete" and promises to deliver personalized workout programs that match themselves...
