The Tomb Raider series is remembered for two things: Indiana Jones inspired gameplay (with light puzzle-solving elements), and a pair of polygonal breasts. Lara Croft’s pointy knockers were a great asset to the series back then as they were not only the object of every gamer’s attention, the curvy pair were also a good way to line up many of the finicky jumps throughout those treacherous tombs that Lara always found herself exploring. But as with most long running franchises, time inevitably robbed Tomb Raider of its innovation and gamers’ interest in pulling levers and boobs would soon wane. Prince of Persia had resurfaced into the game scene and with its more intuitive controls, the Prince left the Tomb Raider franchise looking inferior by comparison. Things only worsened for the franchise when Naughty Dog introduced gamers to the world of Uncharted as Lara Croft and her tomb raiding antics simply could not keep up with Nathan Drake and his refined gameplay and exploration mechanics. Not to mention that Uncharted 2's Chloe Frazier was easily able to trump Ms. Croft in the curvy chicks with British accents department. So what was Lara to do? And how would she ever be able to reclaim the genre she helped pioneer? The answer is Guardian of Light.

Guardian of Light throws out many (if not all) of the predictable conventions the Tomb Raider series (including the literal title itself), and focuses on the ‘feel’ that gamers fondly remember when they first discovered the franchise in 1995. For starters, Guardian of Light pulls the camera back from a third-person perspective to an isometric view similar to Diablo or Champions of Norrath. This opens up the game’s platforming aspects in ways fans of the series never imagined. Whether it’s making a series of jumps or navigating across a dangerous path of collapsible floors, the new perspective makes it easier and far more enjoyable than ever before. In terms of controls and combat, it has now been simplified by assigning the left analog stick to Lara’s movements while the right analog stick is used to aim the attacks from whichever of the numerous weapons she has equipped. You won’t exactly be sliding into cover a la Uncharted, but you also won’t have to deal with the frustrations of the series’ unforgiving and spastic camera when making jumps and shooting up the bad guys.  And while puzzles consist mainly of moving large boulders onto switches, Guardian of Light’s multiplayer component is what makes these seemingly simply situations all the more challenging.

With a second player assuming the role of Totec (an ancient warrior tasked with defending the world from an evil deity who just so happens to have been set lose upon the world due to people like Lara Craft buggering off with ancient relics) puzzles have expanded into team oriented activities such as Lara rebounding off of Toltec’s shield to reach higher places, using Toltec’s spears to create platforms, or turning Lara’s grappling hook into a makeshift tightrope for Toltec to cross over extra wide gaps. There are even specially designated challenge rooms where a partner is needed pass cleverly designed obstacles in order to obtain certain treasures. And speaking of treasures, those shiny objects you work so hard to get a hold of aren’t exactly frivolous bling either.  Completing these challenge rooms will reward you with relics that can be equipped for various stat boosts. You also can gain boosts from accomplishing specific in-game tasks such as beating a level in an allotted time or performing certain objectives like beating a boss without taking any damage. In essence, the loot here is really loot, and it adds a ton to Guardian of Light’s replay value.

The game isn’t without rough spots however.  While the voice acting isn’t anything to write home about, it goes well with the title’s clichéd plot. But the biggest mishap with Guardian of Light is the nonsensical fact that players who purchase the XBLA title will have to wait until its PSN debut next month before an online co-op option becomes available. Players will still be able to play locally on a couch with someone until the free patch arrives, but the lack of an online option from the start leaves a lot of the content unavailable to those players who don’t have a buddy readily available.

Fans will undoubtedly complain about the changes to the franchise but let’s face it; these changes have been a long time coming. Crystal Dynamics has stated that Guardian of Light isn't so much a spin-off of the series as it is the latest entry to it. And as 2GB download, Lara’s latest adventure certainly qualifies as a fully fledged Tomb Raider sequel. By changing the perspective and streamlining the gameplay, Crystal Dynamics has done an outstanding job in giving this formulaic franchise new life. It is well crafted action title and with future add-ons planned, Guardian of Light could very well be the start of something big for Lara Croft. And all without the aid of breast enhancements.

Post contributed by Bobby Rivera. Questions for the author? Send an email to inserttoken01@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @Insert_Token.

We're ever nearing the onslaught of games that is Q4, and the big releases are starting to check in once more. But is it really only two days until Metroid: Other M hits store shelves? We’ve barely had time to catch our breath since the trailer nearly launched our eyebrows off our foreheads at last year's E3, and now it’s almost here. But will Team Ninja's venture live up to the series' towering standards?

Early reviews suggest that it's a game most will enjoy – its current Metacritic score is 80 – but some reviewers aren’t so sure that Other M lives up to the Metroid name. Destructoid’s Nick Chester says that Other M has its good moments but that overall it’s just a "mostly average third-person action/adventure title". Meanwhile Justin Haywald of 1UP describes the game’s narrative, which Nintendo talked up plenty, as weak. Justin compared the game’s expositional contrivances to Metal Gear Solid 2.

Other reviewers think it sits right alongside the series’ best, and one of those reviewers is Wired's Chris Kohler. Citing brave design that blended the 2D perspective of Super Metroid with the blueprints of modern gaming, Kohler describes Other M as the kind of epic, cinematic-driven title which Nintendo isn’t supposed to be making anymore, awarding the game a score of 9 out of 10.

The rest of us, myself included, will get to make our own minds up when the game releases in the coming days, but I did get the chance to take Other M for a test drive at a pre-release event held here in London. It was a bit packed, though, so my hands-on time was limited.

What I will say, though, is that there is plenty of story in the opening of the game and I can certainly see, at least initially, why the game reminds Haywald of Metal Gear Solid games. The opening hour is more cut scene than game, with plenty of dialogue, characterization, set up etc.

The automatically shifting perspective and mix of 2D and 3D play that Kohler talks about does seem to work well. More and more side scrollers are using 3D and implementing 3D perspectives into the play, and Metroid: Other M isn't afraid to mix its presentation up between rooms.

My one concern is regards the controls. To play the game you hold the Wiimote flat and use the d-pad for both moving Samus and aiming your weapons, and I was left unconvinced after my brief time with the game that it works that well. When I think of Super Metroid, I think of precise 2D platforming and shooting, and cover-ups like semi-automatic aim – shooting in the general (d-pad restricted) direction of an enemy is typically enough to ensure your shot aims right – do not resurrect that feeling. Then again, it's easy to over-compare games to their predecessors, and Other M is clearly a different beast to the many Metroid games that have come before it.

Having said all that, my time with the game was way too short to make any concrete judgements. So I will be playing through Metroid: Other M next week and once I've sampled the bounty hunter’s latest adventure from top to bottom I'll be sure to post my thoughts here.

Post contributed by Sinan Kubba. Questions for the author? Send an email to shoinan@googlemail.com. Visit his site at http://shoinan.com or follow him on Twitter: @shoinan.

Such is the nature of embargoes and Friday press events that I've got a couple of posts lined up to rock the weekend with. Let’s start with some thoughts on Castlevania: Lords of Shadow.

Before I go on, it’s best to give you some perspective of my background. Yes, I admit, the Castlevania series represents a pretty great big gaping kind of gap in my gaming CV. Not acceptable, I know. Hack-and-slashers, though, I have played plenty of, and that’s what Lords of Shadow neatly fits into. And since Konami describe Lords of Shadow as a reboot for the series, both in story and play style, I think the majority of gamers are in the same boat when it comes to this game.

So I got the chance to play through the first act (of three total) last month, and I have to say that I was very impressed. True, it’s not particularly innovative in terms of play style, following a traditional hack-and-slash formula of a range combination moves, aerial juggling, unlockable additional moves and so on.

What it does do, though, it present it all in an appealingly morose, sombre world with a subtle but interesting story, all of which is in tune with the mature approach Konami has been hammering on about. So many hack-and-slashers are over-the-top, excessively violent or ridiculously flamboyant, but there's a true darkness to Lords of Shadow, one emphasized by the gloomy cesspools, decrepit temples, and haunting halls that hero Gabriel Belmont has to travel through. It's also emphasized by the starring role of renowned actor Robert Carlyle as Belmont, his Scottish tones full of sorrow and despondency.

There's a finely tuned pace and momentum to the first act as well. You aren't ever saturated by too many complicated moves to keep track of, nor are you left waiting for the play to evolve. The combat with the Combat Cross’s short and long range chain attacks in a 3D plane will stir memories of plenty of other hack-and-slashers, but features are constantly introduced to give it some individuality. There’s the  spiked chain that lets you tame beasts Golden Axe: Beast Rider-style – except not broken (!) – or the light and shadow magic which looks to take the combat up a tactical notch or two in later acts. Having light magic active lets you drain health from enemies, while shadow magic lets you deal greater damage, but knowing which one to use against which enemies is where things get interesting.

Then there's the Shadow of the Colossus-esque boss fights, and the two I fought through were excellent. They were both challenging without being too complicated and confounding, and yes, the scale of the behemoths were utterly magnificent. There's nothing more satisfying than taking down a beefy ice titan by climbing it and hacking at it like a small, furious beaver.

The only concern I had after my six or so hours with Lords of Shadow was regards the (admittedly infrequent) puzzles. You meet an interesting character towards the end of the first act, but she soon switches from interesting to annoying by constantly harassing you in this temple to find missing shards. The puzzle wasn't signposted enough, she was utterly unbearable, and by the end of the thing it felt like 20 minutes flushed down a toilet, the seat of which had been lined with spikes poking through every two or so seconds in the hope that they would make you squeeze faster. Yes, that annoying.

Nonetheless, Lords of Shadow looks to be an exciting new chapter in one of gaming’s oldest series, one that I hope both fans and noobs like myself will come to appreciate if it lives up to its potential. We'll know when it releases for PS3 and Xbox 360 on October 5 in North America, and two days later in Europe.

Post contributed by Sinan Kubba. Questions for the author? Send an email to shoinan@googlemail.com. Visit his site at http://shoinan.com or follow him on Twitter: @shoinan.

There are plenty of games coming out in the next year with strong potential, but the only one that really has me counting the days is Portal 2. It was just a small bonus addition to Valve's Orange Box, but for me it shone the brightest out of the bunch. It was short and sweet, combining challenging physics-based puzzles with genuinely funny, dark humour in the form of the coldly sadistic computer GLaDos.

From what we've seen, Portal 2 looks like it will build beautifully upon the platform laid down before it. Its predecessor’s play revolving around teleportation portals and, in particular, momentum felt novel and refined, so to see Valve develop the concept through additions like the ones they’ve demonstrated so far like the excursion funnels and the repulsion gel is very encouraging. The puzzles look even more confounding than before, but that only serves to intrigue all the more.

The one element that we’ve seen so far that leaves me slightly concerned is one of the new characters, an AI housed in a small robotic eye who’s called Wheatley. It’s just been revealed that he’ll be played by British actor Stephen Merchant, best known for his work in collaboration with funny man Ricky Gervais in The Office and Extras. Here’s the reveal trailer for Merchant as Wheatley.

Wheatley will help you get through the rebuilt Aperture Sciences Laboratory and escape the wrath of GLaDos, and Merchant is playing him with typical shambling brogue and disconnected throwaways. Some of the lines in that trailer are quite funny, and Merchant is certainly talented, but the whole concept of Wheatley and Merchant playing him leaves me unsure.

Firstly, one of the strengths of Portal was its atmosphere of lonely entrapment. It was of course neither scary or even uncomfortable, but a lot of the humour came out of being alone and at the whim of GLaDos, germinating that feeling like you were being toyed with, a pawn rebelling in vain. The inclusion of a seemingly ever-present character who acts as your aid could detract from that unusual chemistry.

Secondly, and it’s really a nitpick, but I wonder if Merchant’s voice should come out straight, not digitally altered like Ellen McLain's is for GlaDos. It just stands out as very odd to me in the trailer, like it makes Wheatley too human, and as such too out of place. Having said that, it’s hard to argue against the amusing oddity of the West Country accent showing up in the Aperture Science Laboratory.

Thirdly, even though we’ve known about Wheatley for a while, I do get the feeling like his character is a late addition to the game. Maybe it’s just the nature of seeing GLaDos' 'For Science' speech in the E3 trailer and then seeing it altered with Merchant included in the trailer above. Still, after re-watching the new Star Wars trilogy and the remastered old trilogy recently, I’m ever more fearful of 'Lucas Syndrome' i.e. the need to tinker with something that already works. We don’t know how much Wheatley is going to feature in Portal 2, but is he really necessary? I think most players have been more than happy just to have more of the same in Portal, and I just hope Valve isn’t feeling a pressure to work too hard to be too funny with its sequel.

Thing is, if there’s one developer out there that I would only doubt so far, it’s Valve. Knowing how that team barely ever puts a foot wrong, and not forgetting the proven talent of one Mr. Merchant, I somehow suspect that I’ll be eating all these words when the game releases in February 2011.

Post contributed by Sinan Kubba. Questions for the author? Send an email to shoinan@googlemail.com. Visit his site at http://shoinan.com or follow him on Twitter: @shoinan.

If Halo has taught us anything, it's that freedom comes with a heavy price. One must be willing to sacrifice quite a bit if they ever wish to truly be liberated.  In Halo: Reach, humanity witnesses the loss of an entire planet populated by Spartans in its quest to rid itself of an overbearing empire. Ironically, a similar scenario was playing out between Bungie and Microsoft in the real world. With Halo: Reach, Bungie is freeing itself from its own overbearing empire by giving Microsoft its last contribution to the Halo franchise along with the rights to its most lucrative work to date. But this begs the question: Was the price of freedom worth it?

Bungie has made no effort to disguise its intentions. The main problem here seems to be the persistent fact that Bungie hasn't so much as taken over the world as its flagship franchise Halo has. Bungie's fans aren't the cultish Mac loyalists it once remembered. And the majority of Bungie fans today could honestly care less about  the likes of Marathon and Myth. All they are genuinely interested in is Master Chief.  So will these fans continue to follow Bungie and support its new endeavors? When Infinity Ward attempted to gain its independence from Activision, its members also sought to maintain control of the Modern Warfare franchise that had generated billions. Makes sense. After all, how many guaranteed money-spewing franchises are there? It takes a certain pedigree of talent and unconditional dedication to develop a game that will sell well.  And it also takes exponentially more to maintain the quality and integrity of subsequent releases. While Infinity Ward wanted the freedom to pursue new projects and establish new franchises, it had the foresight to hold on to the Modern Warfare brand to do so. It’s understandable that after working on any project for as long as a decade, regardless of its level of success, that the participating team members may feel burnt out, or want to try their hand at something new to express their creativity. That doesn't necessarily mean it should let go of what made it such a success in the first place. So like it or not, giving up a franchise like Halo was an unsound business move on Bungie's part.

It’s ironic how similar the situations Bungie and Infinity Ward are in, especially when you consider the fact that even though Bungie has remained tight lipped about the nature of its first post-Halo title, Bungie has named Activision as its future publishing partner. Its desire to produce multi-platform games makes sense from a financial standpoint and as far as viable options go, Bungie couldn't have found a better partner than Activision.  But is Bungie even equipped to handle the rigors of producing titles on multiple consoles? Considering Bungie was a 1st-party developer with special access and tools to the Xbox 360, it's surprising that none of the current Halo titles were graphical wonders. So how will the developers handle programming for widely different platforms?

Job postings for Bungie indicate that the company is looking to develop a free-roaming RPG along the lines of Fallout or Mass Effect. An updated Myth might be a possibility. However the fact that the rights to the series now rest with Take Two Interactive (as part of the settlement when Microsoft acquired Bungie) seems to squash that theory entirely. No matter what the project is, the likelihood of it being as successful as Halo is doubtful. Forget for a moment the company's shoddy track record of meddling with other genres – like the ill-conceived blunder known as Oni. Not many companies have been able to create successful titles when venturing into the mysteries of a new genre. Blizzard for example, cancelled a shooter based on its popular Starcraft series simply because it did not meet company standards.

The expectations that come with producing a hit franchise like Halo are already weighing down on Bungie and the current economic climate certainly isn't helping. Established and talented studios are practically shutting down over night due to poor sales and the high costs of game development. Even successful companies are being forced to trim down its staff in lue of permanently closing up shop. If Bungie’s declaration of freedom title doesn’t perform well, will the company even have the chance to develop a follow-up game? Without a guaranteed seller like Halo to fall back on, Bungie is essentially operating without a safety net.

In the end, the combination of giving up the rights to the universe that put Bungie on the map and the assumption that series' fans will follow the developer to whatever new worlds it creates, may prove more boneheaded then placing all of your super soldiers on a single planet.  And without its precious Master Chief to come to the rescue, Bungie may forever be lost to the emptiness of space where no one can hear it scream.

Post contributed by Bobby Rivera. Questions for the author? Send an email to inserttoken01@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @Insert_Token.

Whether it's paper or yarn, Nintendo sure has a knack for hyping gamers with zany concepts. Nintendo has always prided itself on being as innovative as it is gutsy but like most gamers, I had never imagined that an ordinary household item such as yarn could be  the base of an entire game.  Had the concept been handled by any other developer, it more than likely would not have worked.  Take into account that Nintendo is backing its creative design with everyone's favorite pink puffball, and you have a sure-fire recipe for success – no matter how insane it might be.  So what is it about this yarntastic title that has captured gamers' attention around the world?

Gamers have been craving a new Kirby title that would harken back to the hero's glory days of Crystal Shards on the Nintendo 64 for quite some time. While the lovable eating machine has seen some action on the DS, Kirby's last console release came in the form of Kirby's Air Ride – an admittedly fun little racer but not quite what gamers had been waiting for.  Luckily, Nintendo realized it couldn't box its plush pink powerhouse into the DS alone. Kirby after all is a mighty force that simply refuses to be contained. Nintendo knew  that if it wanted bring Kirby back to the console world, that it would need to do something special to transform its gaming legend into something truly epic.

Kirby is used to being a pink puffball – he has been one his entire gaming career.  But as an adorable thing of yarn, he pulls off the look rather well.  With Kirby's Epic Yarn, Nintendo has not only transformed Kirby's appearance, it has also managed to preserve the core mechanics of its cutest franchise while evolving them at the same time. He could still take on other forms and abilities, but he now does so on his own.  As opposed to his swallow and spit tactics of yesteryear, Kirby's attacks and level progression now revolve around how the yarn interacts with the world around him.  With his epic yarn, he can dismantle his foes, pull the world together to shorten gaps between jumps, and find hidden loot and secrets. And if that isn't enough, Kirby now has a friend named Prince Fluff who will join him throughout the re-imagined world of Dream Land.

But while Epic Yarn is a fantastic looking game, there are some elements that might scare longtime Kirby fans away. By the looks of it, Epic Yarn doesn't seem to be incredibly difficult. Granted Kirby games have never been back breaking, but lets at least hope Epic Yarn can be as challenging as the retro Dream Land games. Another issue that has probably raised its share of eyebrows is Kirby's loss of his signature move. Kirby as a character is defined by his ability to vacuum his opponent into that massive gob of his and spit them out. Instead, Nintendo is banking on the idea that Kirby's new ability to transform himself at will be a welcome change.  Sure Nintendo should be praised for reinventing a gaming icon such as Kirby (remember Super Mario Sunshine) but will these changes be something that fans will readily accept?

In spite of these minor causes for concern, Nintendo looks to have done right by its wide-eyed protagonist. Had Kirby's Epic Yarn simply been a graphical overhaul with none of the gameplay changes, I doubt gamers would be as receptive to the idea of this new Kirby game as they are now.  The game looks to have a lot to offer and will forever change the way we look at Dream Land.  Our little pink hero has come a long way from his humble black and white beginnings on the Gameboy. And with his new look and refreshing take on old tricks, Kirby looks to reinvent the platformer all over again.  It may be a bold move on Nintendo's part, but regardless of how it turns out, no one can deny that Kirby's Epic Yarn is a game that everyone should be keeping a close eye on.

So what do you think? Is Kirby's latest transformation something to get excited about or is Nintendo taking its beloved puffball into risky territory?

Post contributed by Ryan Hauser. Questions for the author? Send an email to rhauser@keystone.edu. Follow him on Twitter: @Raikugensho.

It was an odd pairing right from the start.  And that’s probably why it always seemed like a matter of when and not if, they would part ways. On the one hand you had Bungie, an at the time indie developer that was working exclusively on the Mac platform.  The company entered the game developing world with a string of well-received hits such as Myth and Marathon and with heir magnum opus known as Halo, Bungie looked to bring indisputable legitimacy to the Mac as a gaming platform.  On the other hand you had Microsoft, a company which was as far moved as one could get from what Bungie represented.  Microsoft was the evil empire, the iron glove of PC gaming that had been looking to extend its reach into console gaming.  The Xbox was its supposed titan, but what would herald its arrival? What would instantly qualify the Xbox, and by extension Microsoft, as a competitive gaming platform and developer?  Funny how opposites attract.

When Bungie and Microsoft announced three years ago their intention to part ways, it rattled the foundation of the gaming community.  Why would Bungie and Microsoft ever want to split up? Sure, business makes for some pretty strange bedfellows, but no one could deny that both Bungie and Microsoft benefited immensely from their union. Halo became the title that defined the Xbox and helped Microsoft gain more than a foothold into the gaming industry. The franchise also took a one-time Mac exclusive developer to the worldwide recognition stage.  So what will happen to the franchise after Halo: Reach? And will it ever be the same after Bungie?

It's interesting to point out that Halo: Reach is not only Bungie’s last game of the franchise, but it is also a prequel to the entire series – a decision that was made for a very specific reason.  Microsoft realized that the IP Bungie had created was far more valuable than the developer itself. This was especially true after Bungie began express a need to move away from Halo and onto other projects.  So why create more problems by holding onto a company that doesn't want to work on a series that generates millions of dollars anymore? Microsoft understood the necessity to not only hold onto the Halo franchise but to also ensure that Bungie’s parting didn’t sabotage its future either. By reaching an amicable divorce, Microsoft was able to snag the rights to one of its most valuable franchises and was promised two “sequels” to be produced by Bungie.  Microsoft would also get the necessary time to piece together a new development team to take over the Halo franchise. The fruit of that time is 343 Industries, a group which has been quietly plotting Master Chief's future ever since.  The studio isn’t without a connection to Bungie as Frank O’Conner, the former lead writer for Bungie, has come on board to keep continuity intact. Having someone so intricately associated with Halo’s past bodes well for its future as Mr. O’Conner is a face both favored and familiar to Halo fans.  And then there is the decision to make Reach a prequel. By making Reach a prequel, Microsoft has retained control of what happens to the series' most valuable asset – Master Chief .  The best Microsoft could have hoped for was to have Bungie  give the fans more of they wanted in terms of building on the foundations of the universe and its characters, but not expanding on it. With Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach, Microsoft was able to keep series fans satisfied and the brand fresh while also buying time for life after Bungie.  And whenever Halo 4 is announced, it will have a minimum of five years in development to ensure it lives up to the series' standard.

For those who fear Microsoft will be looking to quickly cash-in on the Halo franchise, or that the company won't be able to bring the same quality of games after Bungie says their goodbyes, they can rest assured.  Having Bungie produce two more sequels shows that Microsoft has a clear game plan for the series going forward. The formation of 343 Industries and taking the time to hire not only talented personnel, but also someone as familiar with the franchise as Mr. O’Connor, proves how dedicated Microsoft is to sustaining the quality of future Halo releases. Even the peripheral projects and spin-offs have been top notch such as the RTS Halo Wars and Halo Waypoint. Microsoft knows quality when it sees it and the company recognized Bungie’s talent years ago when it first snatched them up.  Now it is time for Microsoft take all it has learned and focus on the future of its flagship franchise.

So where does Bungie go after leaving behind the rights to the franchise that made them a household name? With Halo: Reach just aroud the corner, what does the famed developer inted to do work on? Find out on our next follow-up editorial when when we'll check in on what Bungie plans for life after Halo.

Post contributed by Bobby Rivera. Questions for the author? Send an email to inserttoken01@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @Insert_Token.

Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions is, at heart, a Spider-Man game for the comic book aficionados. Not only does it have four different Spider-Man universes including the relatively niche Spider-Man Noir and Spider-Man 2099, complete with different art and play styles, but also its story has been penned by Amazing Spider-Man writer Dan Slott. And each Spidey – one for each universe – will be voiced by someone who has played him in the past, including Neil Patrick Harris (as seen in everything). Oh, and Marvel legend Stan Lee narrates it. Oh, and there are alternate costumes to be collected, all  featuring other alternate universe versions of Spider-Man. In short, Shattered Dimensions is indecently indulgent.

The question, though, of how well four different universes and moreover four surprisingly different play styles will work together remains unanswered. I got the chance to briefly try out three of the universes last month, namely Spider-Man Noir, Ultimate Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2099. They all looked gorgeous, particularly the Sin City-like Noir, and their play styles were ostensibly distinctive. But Noir, for example, felt a bit limited in its stealth play – although I’ll admit I didn’t get to try it out for too long.

Beenox, the developer, wants to ensure players can dip in and out of each universe easily, since the game switches universes regularly throughout the campaign. Therefore there’s a simple control scheme that will carry over between each one; essentially, each button press will perform the same basic action in each universe. I did find it easy enough to pick up the basics when switching between universes. However, Shattered Dimensions is a very combat-heavy game, and there will be a variety of different combination moves for each universe. How well will these carry over? And if they carry over too well, will it make the universes feel too similar to each other, indeed too limited?

It’s an unusual enough idea to employ four different universes and play styles in one game, but I suspect it will be a tricky balancing act to make it work and feel cohesive as a brawler. And while the Spider-Man fans may be more than willing to forgive a game so clearly aimed towards them, those less au-fait may find the many different universes and play styles a bit much. If the game does work, though, then it could be the beginning of a renaissance for Spider-Man games. Beenox is already talking about the possibility of making specific games for the Noir and 2099 universes, so it’s obviously confident about Shattered Dimensions’ quality. Let’s hope that confidence is well founded.

Post contributed by Sinan Kubba. Questions for the author? Send an email to shoinan@googlemail.com. Visit his site at http://shoinan.com or follow him on Twitter: @shoinan.