It’s been a little while since I gave you the skinny on my digital adventures, but after a brief hiatus I have returned. In the third installment of this years Video Games Odyssey I go big and grab some air, enter the newest edition of the octagon, throw down with some beat em up legends and lurk amongst the underbelly of hard boiled, Hong Kong.
GAME NINE: SSX
FORMAT: X BOX 360
RELEASED: 2012
The high scoring, arcade snowboarding franchise, SSX got a reboot this year and for the first time I took to the slopes to see what the fuss was about. Having never played any of the previous titles I went into this with little to no expectations and found myself coming out all the better for it. Now it’s hardly revolutionary but SSX is a whole lot of fun throughout. Whether your working through the “story” mode or challenging your friends top scores, theres plenty to enjoy. The somewhat tricky control system can take a little while to master but once you’ve got your fundamentals down, theres plenty of fun and longevity to be found whilst working on your craft.
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GAME TEN: UFC UNDISPUTED 3
FORMAT: X BOX 360
RELEASED: 2012
Released in the first quarter of the year UFC’s latest game in the Undisputed franchise dosent overhaul its system but adds enough tweaks and changes to make some significant improvements. If like me you’ve gotten yourself tangled in it’s movement and transitional controls before, then fear not. Yuke’s have simplified some of the motion controls making it much easier to jump into. If your a fan of MMA or grounded, pounded, realistic fighting sims then Undisputed 3 is definitely worth picking up.
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GAME ELEVEN: STREET FIGHTER X TEKKEN
FORMAT: X BOX 360
RELEASED: 2012
Crossover beat em ups have often been popular but Street Fighter X Tekken might just be the holy grail of the genre. Taking classic and beloved characters from both iconic franchises and putting them together is quite the genius idea to begin with. But when you take the glossy, gorgeous animated style of Street Fighter 4 and combine it with the fundamentals of Tekken Tag Tournament you have one hell of a fighter on your hands.
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GAME TWELVE: SLEEPING DOGS
FORMAT: X BOX 360
RELEASED: 2012
Originally known as True Crime: Hong Kong, Sleeping Dogs is an open world crime story from United Front Games and Square Enix. You play undercover cop Wei Shen who is sent into the underground of Hong Kong to infiltrate a triad clan known as the Sun On Yee. But the deeper Wei goes, the more he gets sucked into his criminal activities and the more his loyalties become conflicted. It’s interface, open world and mission based structure are very reminiscent of Rock Stars work but it’s not fair to label it as a GTA clone. It’s reference to kung fu action and crime films from Hong Kong’s golden era, fascinating story and action packed gameplay makes it an engaging, absorbing and enjoyable experience.
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