PC November 18 2008
XBOX 360 November 21 2008

Left 4 dead is a Co-op first person shooter in which you and up to three other take control of a group of surviviors stuck in the middle of a zombie infested city.
Unlike other Co-op games teamwork is vital gamers used to running ahead and doing a Rambo Will become zombie chow.

Despite the releativly small amount of Scenarios (more have been promised via Download) Valve have promised to keep each playthrough unique with their new director feature which adapts the gameplay to suit the player, for instance if your team are doing really well then the director will up the ante throwing more zombies at your team or taking away health and ammo packs that might have been there last time you played the level.

First Bungie teased the web with it's E3 countdown and then Microsoft's Don Mattrick confirmed that Bungie was hard at work on another game and then...nothing

Bungie pulled the game from the line up without any explanation and the mysterious 'Superintendent' campaign was shelved until now.
On the front page of bungie.net today a bungie staff member put a link to a page entitled 'KEEP IT CLEAN' with a corrupted image of the original countdown
and a transcript from some UNSC marines.

<\\> UNSC OFFICE OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE

<\\> CLASSIFIED SIGNALS ARCHIVE [ONI.SEC.PRTCL-1A]

<\ OPENED PER OFFICIAL REQUEST [DARE.V.500341(S1)]

\ SOURCE: URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE A.I. [SUPERINTENDENT]

\ RECEPIENT: PROWLER “TOKYO RULES” [COMM.DUTY.OFFICER]
>> NOTATION KEYWORD SEARCH: “EMERGENCY” “DATA” “CORRUPTION”
>> (...) ' QUERY RUNNING
>> (..)
>> (.) \ VTT TRANSCRIPT AS FOLOWS...

[SUPERINTENDENT]: “METROPOLITAN EMERGENCY!”
[SUPERINTENDENT]: “METROPOLITAN EMERGENCY!”
[SUPERINTENDENT]: “METROPOLITAN EMER--!”
[COMM.DUTY.OFFICER]: “We know. Personnel are en route. Can you--”
[SUPERINTENDENT]: “DETOUR! PROCEED WITH CAUTION!”
[COMM.DUTY.OFFICER]: “--put Kinsler on the line?”
[UNITELLIGIBLE > DOG GROWLING(?)
[COMM.DUTY.OFFICER]: “Sorry, what?”
[SUPERINTENDENT]: “BE A HERO! REPORT VIOLATORS!”
[COMM.DUTY.OFFICER]: “Oh, come on... ”
[SUPERINTENDENT]: “METROPOLITAN EMER--!”
[COMM.DUTY.OFFICER]: “Listen. We have a report of core data corruption.”
[COMM.DUTY.OFFICER]: “I need you to upload your--”
[SUPERINTENDENT]: “PARDON OUR DUST!”
[SUPERINTENDENT]: “YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK!”
[COMM.DUTY.OFFICER] “--logs for the last twenty-four hours!”
[SUPERINTENDENT]: “KEEP IT CLEAN!”
[SUPERINTENDENT]: “KEEP IT CLEAN!”
[SUPERINTENDENT]: “KEEP IT CLEAN!”
[UNINTELLIGIBLE > PROFANITY (?)
[COMM.DUTY.OFFICER]: “We're sending a team, alright?”
[COMM.DUTY.OFFICER]: “Until they arrive, all additional comm needs to route through me.”
[COMM.DUTY.OFFICER]: “Repeat and acknowledge.”
[SUPERINTENDENT]: “OBEY POSTED LIMITS!”
[SUPERINTENDENT]: “YIELD TO UPHILL TRAFFIC!”
[COMM.DUTY.OFFICER]: “I'll take that as a ‘yes’...”
[SUPERINTENDENT]: “PLEASE REMAIN CALM!”

\ ' QUERY COMPLETE

\ ARCHIVE CLOSED \>

So what do you think practical joke? cryptic bungie mind games? someting to do with all those lovely new acheievments? Only time will tell.

For the PlayStation 3

Resistance: Fall of Man, a PlayStation 3 exclusive, launched mere days after the console's US launch has got everyone talking about it - even Tony Blair! Set in an alternative present reality where WWI and WWII never happened, but something far worse did. Resistance blends real world fact and science-fiction fantasy in a deeply atmospheric FPS (first person shooter) that is top of its league.

In Resistance: Fall of Man, you take control of Army Ranger Nathan Hale sent back to Britain to combat an invasion of alien creatures known as the Chimera. Having survived Chimeran infection Hale is equipped with supernatural reactions - endurance and powers of recuperation. He is also immune to the infection that has wiped out huge portions of the Earth's populace already. The game allows you to play in single player, with up to four friends in split screen or with up to 40 people online in various battle modes.

Resistance shows off the PlayStation 3's graphic prowess admirably. Running at 30 frames per second throughout, gorgeously rendered real world geographical locations provide an chilling account of the Chimeran devastation adding to the spooky tension throughout the game. The aliens themselves are ghastly spider-like humanoid creatures that instil within you an instant desire to massacre. Tactical game play is required as enemies comes in numbers and with fairly advanced AI, take up cover, retreat to defensive positions or quickly move to surround you. You need to be smart in your use of weaponry - but this is where the game really comes into its own.

If a console is about its games, then FPS games are about their weaponry. In this alternative reality, conventional human weaponry is slightly different. With every weapon having an alternate firing mode, game developers Insomniac have made excellent use of their much vaunted imagination in providing an arsenal that beats any other previous FPS. Chimeran weapons can be picked up and used to great effect and you will really have to get to grips with the different weapon functions in order to get through the game alive. For example, the earthly sniper rifle can zoom in on enemies in slow-motion whereas the Chimeran Auger both shoots through walls and puts up a defensive energy shield, allowing you to set up cover in open spaces. Throw in rocket launchers, homing bullets, ricochet energy bolts and organic mine-launchers and you begin to see the tactical assault decisions you'll have at your finger-tips. A varied battle-scape featuring ravaged cities, derelict buildings and even Manchester City Cathedral complements the arsenal nicely, forcing you to make the correct decision for each situation.

Online multiplayer on the PlayStation network comes with extra downloadable content and a host of game-play variables, including the option to play as the stronger but slower Chimera, or stick with nimble footed humans. Massive battles of up to 40 players, buddy modes and team formations will keep this game running for yonks - in terms of value for money, if you have an Internet connection it is worth every penny.

The main criticism of Resistance is that it offers little new in terms of game play style. Fair enough, it is an FPS and an FPS.... well it is an FPS - you’re in the first person and you shoot things - everything! However, to call Resistance: Fall of Man 'standard' would be a huge mistake. With interesting weaponry, smooth game play and an engaging concept brought to life in a tense and far reaching near apocalyptic horror-scape this is an FPS at the very top of its league. If you like blasting aliens (who doesn't?) then get this game - it’s a richly deserved console seller for the PlayStation 3.

Ratings (out of 10)

• Concept: 9. A realistically ravaged mother earth as you never want to see it happen, crawling with alien infection - revenge is the order of the day. Stirring stuff.
• Playability: 8. Huge range of weapons and realistic enemy AI makes this game really fun and puts the pressure on you to wipe out those nasties in style. Killing things never felt so good.
• Online play: 9: Massive range of options and nicely balanced Chimeran/Human attributes will bring you back again and again. Would have been 10 but for the lack of online 2 player co-op.
• Longevity: 9: Like shooting aliens? Like shooting your friends even more? You may be able to work through single-player quickly enough but online play will turn this into a saga.
• Sound: 7. We're talking about the PS3 here, hook it up to your speakers, turn the sound up and have them confiscated by the police. Horrifying battle sounds and plenty of alien death throes will give your neighbours nightmares but there's little in the way of in-game music to calm their nerves.
• Graphics: 8. Horrible aliens rendered at a smooth 30 fps with no slow down on any amount of on-screen action wins huge brownie points but there is some loss of detail in objects at close quarters.
• Overall: 8.3. A truly next-generation FPS with plenty of original concepts to keep veterans and rookies alike glued to the Sixaxis for months to come.

For the Wii

No Nintendo console would be complete without an instalment of the long-running and much loved Legend of Zelda series. Our intrepid hero Link is back for another swashbuckling adventure but this time, on next-gen, with interactive sword swinging action courtesy of the Wii's unique controller system.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess takes place in Link's home world, full of the usual characters and foes that fans of the series have come to love and expect. As a next-generation instalment it goes considerably further in terms of plot and story boarding, introducing a number of richly crafted personalities who interact with uncharacteristically well written dialogue. Link remains a blank slate, offering little of the inner workings of his mind, but a host of supporting characters, including Midna, your guide to the Twilight World, more than make up for our tongue-tied hero.

As the Wii's launch title and the next-generation instalment of such a popular series, Twilight Princess has a lot to live up to - and we're glad to say that it performs admirably across the board. The Wii remote controller is used to perform sword slashes and other moves, while the nunchuk doubles up as a shield and allows you to perform melee attacks, like the spinning slash. Sword play is upgradable throughout the game, and extra moves feel deliciously intuitive as you hack and slash your way through Link's fantasy world. Extra skills, such as fishing, translate superbly to the Wii's controller.

When teleported into the spooky Twilight World, Link is transformed into wolf form. This opens up a host of new abilities and controls including the power to speak to other animals, follow the scent of certain characters, and, of course, wolf-like attack combos. Later on in the game you will learn to morph between forms at will to best complete your objectives.

In terms of graphics, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess has already won awards for art direction. Ok, the Wii may not be able to handle the amount of polygons you will have storming across your TV set with a PS3 or Xbox 360 but Nintendo's new platform has done an excellent job on the graphics. A complete fantasy experience, caught in the duality between Link's home world and the macabre Twilight World is rendered with juicy, colourful polygons that really bring the game to life. As a result, journeying through the game on horseback, foot or as Links enchanted alter-ego, the wolf, is a highly enjoyable experience. This game really shows off the Wii's capabilities.

Fans of the Zelda series will love this game and complete newcomers can jump in at the deep-end without missing a thing. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is as enjoyable as any classic Zelda game has ever been and with the level of physical interaction brought in by the Wii remote this is perhaps the best Zelda experience ever!

• Concept: 8. Link is back in an adventure as convoluted and extraordinary as any he has ever been on. Classic game play with plenty of extra twists!
• Playability: 9. Swinging your Wii remote around in mid-air is not just great fun - it really works! Big up the Wiimote and get yourself a sword attachment pronto!
• Longevity: 7. This is a huge game, and plenty of extra puzzles and hidden prizes keep it fresh.
• Sound: 7. Classic Zelda music can seem a little bit dated but this shouldn't bother hard-core fans who would be disappointed with anything else.
• Graphics: 10. A gorgeously rendered Zelda experience shows you just what that Wii can do.
• Overall: 8.2. Nintendo's next generation flagship game is a worthy inheritor to the Link series. There's simply hours of fun to be had solving puzzles and battering end-of-level baddies by flailing your arms around like a loon. Just another good reason to purchase a Wii.

For Xbox 360

The most stunning game on the Xbox 360 yet, Gears of War hits every mark imaginable and raises the bar on what people can expect from a next-generation video game once and for all. Game play takes place on the distant planet Sera.

Once colonised by humans, the planet has since been overrun by a subterranean alien race known as the Locust Horde. You take control of member(s) of the surviving resistance - Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago (in two-player mode) to battle the aliens in an over-the-shoulder first person shooter (FPS) that break previous game-play boundaries.

Visually stunning aliens, deeply atmospheric, original in-game music and a truly innovative playing style make this game an absolute must have for action shooter fans. The gorgeously rendered aliens are big, scary and smart too - anything less than tactical play will see your life end in a hail of alien bullets, and outsmarting the horde is even more rewarding in two-player mode.

Gigantic, cinema quality end of level bosses that hunt you down through smell and sight alone, will set your nerves on edge and see you sweating at the palms - this kind of tension and graphical pay-off is a feature throughout. Indeed, everything about this game is great but it's the unique game-play that really makes it special.

Fighting a guerilla war against better equipped and more numerous alien foe, you will be forced to take cover in almost all combat encounters. The A button becomes of paramount importance as with a simple press you will be sucked into cover behind whatever you can find. From here you can release bursts of blind-fire from behind a burnt-out car or slab of fallen concrete to act as cover so that you can stick your neck out and take aim properly. With your computer controlled team-mates or, better still, a friend in co-op you can out-flank and manoeuvre around the enemy to finish him off. This takes game play onto a completely new level - at last mixing tactical elements from games like Socom: Navy Seals with the all-out adrenaline pumping action of the much loved FPS genre.

An anaemic and unoriginal story punctuated with cheesy dialogue is the only downside in Gears of War. Such things are mere confection, however, and with game play and graphics this good you can take out any minor irritations on the head of an alien, or a human in multi-player mode.

In true next-generation style, producers Epic release periodic updates to enhance in-game and multi-player modes such as maps, new weapons and new multi-player arenas. There is much hilarity to be had by pulling down a Hammer of Dawn satellite and obliterating scores of opponents in a single sweep of its laser. Likewise, a standard-issue chainsaw-bayonet gives a gory pay-off to those who dare to break cover for close combat killing.

Multi-player mode is further enhanced by the ability to revive fallen team-mates, excepting those who have had their melon well and truly sundered by a well aimed sniper shot or their guts re-arranged with a chainsaw.

All of this adds up to a must-have for Xbox 360 owners, and a string of industry awards attest to the fact that Gears of War is a truly ground-breaking video game.

• Concept: 8. Heroic renegade soldier released from prison to undertake a special mission... Heard it all before? So have we - but with game play this good dressed in graphics straight out of the movies... who cares!!
• Playability: 10. Original blend of tactical shooter and action FPS set this game above anything approaching its ilk before. Two player co-operative gaming this good is what we've been crying out for since the Double Dragon days.
• Online play: 9. Fry your foes and kiss your best friend's exit wound better. Lots of fun to be had but with slightly limited options - let's hope Epic keep the updates coming.
• Longevity: 9. As your skill level rises it just keeps getting better. With periodic updates on Microsoft Live you'll be playing this for a long time to come.
• Sound: 10. Out of this world! Sumptuous in-game score strikes a balance with the action, raising bloodlust above megadeath levels. Another point where this game breaks the mould.
• Graphics: 10. Graphics pushing the Xbox 360 capabilities to unseen levels and showing us just what a next-generation video game should look like.
• Overall: 9.3. This game is freakishly good. It's so good there's simply nothing more to say. Just buy it!