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This week's Most Wanted

2012-02-06T02:42:00.000-08:00

Check out this week's most wanted games & gadgets in the USA.

See how much your stuff is worth at us.webuy.com/sell

Resident Evil: Revelations

2012-01-31T06:09:00.000-08:00

Resident Evil: Revelations is the next hand-held exclusive installment into Capcom’s iconic franchise. While the series has in a sense, gone through a loss of identity from survival-horror to action-horror, the transition has evolved Resident Evil and ultimately made it grow in popularity. Resident Evil: Revelations decides to take a shot at blending classic elements with modern gameplay by setting one half of its tale on an abandoned ocean liner, with the surroundings reminiscent of the claustrophobic Mansion in the original game. While the second half is set across various locations with modern action taking centre stage and less scares more bullets being the ideology behind those sections. Intertwined together, we have a very good entry in the Resident Evil series, but one that clearly shows what style of Resident Evil gameplay is more enjoyable than the other.

Revelations is set between the events of Resident Evil 4 and 5 with both Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield returning as lead protagonists. Unfortunately they aren’t side-by-side in this adventure as Revelations’ events occur in an episodic structure, with Jill partnered by Parker while Chris has a new female companion Jessica. Naturally the supporting characters aren’t as interesting as the two veterans but they provide occasionally interesting dialogue and help keep the game from feeling too lonesome (which ironically is what classic Resident Evil fans would have wanted). The story unfolds after a bioterrorist attack occurs on the artificial island of Terragrigia and then the inevitable release of a new strain of virus called the T-Abyss Virus aboard the Queen Zenobia a year later. With Chris confirmed missing, it’s up to Jill to find her old partner.

The episodic structure of Revelations makes it extremely apparent that the game is split into two different styles of gameplay. Much of your time at the beginning will be spent exploring the abandoned Queen Zenobia, which is a whole heap of fun. It really takes you back to Resident Evil’s roots by implementing nice jump-scares, bringing back limited ammo, forcing players to engage with puzzles while both atmosphere and tension are constantly high. The new type of enemies you encounter are called Ooze and while they aren’t initially terrifying in comparison to your traditional zombie, their ability to pop up out of anywhere makes them a fantastic new addition to the series. When the game sets you up for an action sequence is where Revelations takes massive influence from Resident Evil 4 and 5. Certain timed segments where you have to fend off a barrage of enemies quickly turns Revelations from a survival-horror game into an action-horror splice, but at least it has the courtesy to acknowledge it’s doing so. This isn’t a bad thing, on the contrary these sections are very enjoyable, but when placed side-by-side to Resident Evil’s traditional formula, one can very easily see what is the more engaging game type.

When you’ve finished playing through Revelations’ campaign mode, you can rest assured that there’s still plenty of fun to be had with the game. Not only do you unlock a harder difficulty, but Raid mode is always available to satisfy your thirst for high score dominance. You can play optionally two-player (locally or online) and eliminate all enemies in a given area as quickly as possible. Very reminiscent of Resident Evil: The Mercenaries, Raid mode is a load of fun offering an experience points system and weapon upgrades to keep you coming back for more. This time Capcom have done it right by coupling the experience with a fully-fledged game, as opposed to simply bringing it out as a stand-alone title.

From a technical perspective, Revelations is a very solid game. The graphics are incredibly impressive, the best Nintendo 3DS has to offer by a long way. The 3D is implemented well, offering a sense of depth that adds to the tension and horror, especially around the more claustrophobic ocean liner. Narrative and dialogue are passable, with certain characters having abysmal lines but thankfully Jill and Chris have the majority of camera time. The story while entertaining, feels somewhat convoluted and the episodic structure doesn’t really do the game any favours. Perhaps that’s me talking as an old school fan, but I can’t stand when events jump from past, to even further in the past, to present, to a few days after the initial past segment – it gets hard to follow and confusing. Nevertheless, that aside, it follows the Resident Evil formula and it’s worth sticking through to find out what happens at the end.

Revelations also supports the new Circle Pad Pro, which comes bundled with certain copies of the game. Initially your button layout uses the circle pad to move and aim, the right shoulder button to raise your weapon and Y to shoot. This is your traditional Resident Evil gameplay-style as your character is without the ability to move and aim a weapon. When you introduce the Circle Pad Pro however, the game opts for your modern Resident Evil 5 style controls except you can actually move while your weapon is raised – welcome to the 21st century Resident Evil! The ability to move the camera using the additional circle pad is also a welcome advantage. While not necessary, Nintendo’s new peripheral does make Revelations a more user-friendly experience.

In all honesty I am surprised how great Resident Evil: Revelations has turned out. I was always very excited for the title but had my reservations on it coming out for Nintendo 3DS. Well I’ve been proven wrong as the machine has held its own and has really pushed itself to allow Resident Evil: Revelations to flourish into a beautiful and well designed game. An impressive yet somewhat unbalanced blend of survival-horror and action-horror make up another successful instalment in the Resident Evil franchise. If you’ve finished playing your Mario games and are looking for a new handheld title, this is certainly the game for you.

9.0 | Gameplay |
Two different gameplay styles intertwine together to bring the best of both Resident Evil’s survival and action roots. Well-designed levels coupled with plenty of scares and a wealth of content makes Revelations a whole heap of fun to play.
9.0 | Presentation |
Revelations highlights the potential of the Nintendo 3DS by showing us just what the machine can do. Beautiful graphics and fantastic character and environment presentation makes this the best looking game on 3DS yet.

8.0 | Replay Value |
You’ll go through Revelations at least twice and then get stuck into Raid mode, which has replay value written all over it. If you have a friend you can play with, then even better.
9.0 | Final Thoughts |
Resident Evil: Revelations sets a precedent for games on the Nintendo 3DS. Title like Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D will now have a lot to live up to because this is a shining example of what Nintendo’s handheld can do. It is a great Resident Evil game at heart, embodying both traditional and modern elements of the series making it an engaging and appealing addition to the franchise until Resident Evil 6 comes out at the end of the year.

Igor Kharin.

Most anticipated games of 2012

2012-01-25T06:46:00.000-08:00

Some of us will remember 2011 as one of the best years of modern gaming. With huge titles like, Batman: Arkham City, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Portal 2 and Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception leading 2011’s star-studded line-up, one can only wonder if 2012 will be able to top such a terrific year. Well the simple answer is yes. 2012 Is going to be absolutely massive for the video game industry with new software and hardware set for release – here’s my personal rundown of 2012’s most anticipated.

10. The Last Guardian
Hailed as one of the lead innovators in the video game industry, Team Ico’s next project is hot on our list for 2012. Anybody who’s played Ico and Shadow of the Colossus will tell you how absolutely incredible and unique both of those titles are and with teaser footage showing more mesmerizing content, The Last Guardian is sure to shine. Unfortunately the original release date for The Last Guardian was somewhere in 2008 and continual delays are certainly making the video game industry lose faith and patience in Team Ico. Nevertheless, 2012 is make or break for this particular title and if it comes out, prepare for an experience like no other. In the mean time check out the HD collection of Ico & Shadow of the Colossus double pack if you didn’t have a chance to play through these classics.

09. Dragon’s Dogma
The challenging RPG has certainly made its way back into the hearts of conventional gamers after the success of Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls. Now it’s Capcom’s turn to give the devilishly difficult formula a whirl with their interpretation of brutal role-play gaming. Dragon’s Dogma promises an in-depth world filled with beautiful monsters and intertwined with technically challenging combat mechanics. The footage we have seen so far suggest it will be a faster paced version of Dark Souls, so prepare for more frantic gameplay.

08. Street Fighter x Tekken
The fighting genre made a miraculous come back in 2011 with Street Fighter IV, Mortal Kombat 9 and Marvel vs. Capcom 3 seeing huge amounts of success. Now it’s time to build upon those foundations as 2012 prepares for Soul Calibur V, Dead or Alive 5 and Street Fighter x Tekken. Pitting two of the genres most successful franchises against each other continues to push the boundaries of genre crossovers, but what we’ve seen so far has done nothing but impress us. The Tekken characters seem to blend nicely into the Street Fighter formula and we’re looking forward to pitting Ryu against Jin Kazama.

07. Ninja Gaiden 3
The Ninja Gaiden reboot on Xbox is widely considered to be one of the most influential action adventure titles of modern gaming. Unfortunately Ninja Gaiden 2 failed to live up to the high standards the original set, leaving many fans of the series bitterly disappointed. Now Tecmo Koei bring us the third installment in Ryu Hayabusa’s tale, incorporating a more story-oriented experience into the brutal and violent hack ’n’ slash gameplay Ninja Gaiden is known for. We have high expectations and faith that this is going to be the best the series has to offer and another pinnacle moment for the action adventure genre.

06. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Well if Ninja Gaiden can’t do it, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance sure will. Another action adventure title set for 2012 but with the expert development staff of Platinum Games behind the project, this is sure to dazzle. As a huge Ninja Gaiden fan, I am terrified that this title will completely outclass Tecmo Koei’s efforts, but that’s not a bad thing at all for the industry. Metal Gear Rising should hopefully be the first of a long line of spin-off games in the legendary Metal Gear series.

05. Grand Theft Auto V
Rockstar are certainly pushing the boat out in 2012 with Max Payne and Grand Theft Auto V. Both franchises have huge followings and high expectations surrounding them, but there’s little doubt that they will sell in the millions. Unfortunately, figures tend to taint the critique of Rockstar games because even if the game isn’t that impressive (Grand Theft Auto IV), it still sells astonishingly. Looking back in hindsight however, it’s very difficult to call the last entry in the GTA series a good game. Rockstar need to completely overhaul the driving and shooting mechanics to make GTAV the best sandbox experience you can get your hands on.

04. Halo 4
I think we’re all excited just because of the name Halo. Nothing is known about Master Chief’s next adventure, but one can hope for a terrific sci-fi FPS experience. The series has so much to live up to and we can’t wait to see what 343 Industries has done with our beloved Spartan.

03. The Last of Us
If anyone had asked me 10 years ago whether I’d consider Naughty Dog to be my favourite developer of the modern era, I’d have laughed in their face. Lord behold, here we are as Naughty Dog lead development quality with their superb Uncharted series. The next project for the team is The Last of Us, which has been unveiled with a very interesting teaser trailer. Very reminiscent of I Am Legend starring Will Smith, the trailer showed two survivors hiding from what looked like infected zombies. One can only speculate what kind of game it could be, but we’re betting on a nice hybrid between Uncharted’s third-person adventure and Left 4 Dead’s amazing cooperative mode.

02. Bioshock Infinite
Bioshock was another game that set brand new standards for first-person adventure games. Blending terrific atmospheric gameplay with a great story and innovative enemies, Bioshock really was the perfect package. Similar to the Ninja Gaiden series however, the sequel Bioshock 2 failed to impress on numerous levels. Offering nothing new over the original, fans were left disappointed at the lack of difference between the two games. Fortunately for us, Bioshock Infinite takes the game away from Rapture and to a brand new city in the sky. With a new theme, new enemies and game mechanics, 2012 will finally see the true sequel to the superb Bioshock.

01. Resident Evil 6
Resident Evil has always been a staple video game franchise. Many fans were left lost amidst the transition from classic survival horror to action horror, but it’s undeniable that while Resident Evil 5 lacked any real creative spark, Resident Evil 4 is one of the best modern games conceived. Going back to what makes Resident Evil so fantastic, the sixth installment brings back Leon Kennedy and Chris Redfield as they battle their way through various infected locations. The brand new trailer looked stunning and it’s definitely going to be one of this years biggest and best games.

There you have it! If that doesn’t wet your appetite for 2012, then I simply don’t know what will. Oh wait, I do – that’s just a small sample of this years big games as we will also see Hitman Absolution, Final Fantasy XIII-2, Kingdom of Amalur: Reckoning, Syndicate, DMC: Devil May Cry to name a few more for 2012. So stay tuned as we bring you all the latest reviews of the top titles right here at webuy.com

Igor Kharin.

BBC finds CeX 'best deal'

2012-01-23T06:48:00.000-08:00

It's official CeX is #1, again.

In a BBC investigation of where to sell your old mobile phones they found the "best deal came from CeX, a firm with both High Street shops and a website - webuy.com"

Read the BBC findings about CeX here or listen to the BBC Money Box podcast (we're just over half way through).

Start selling and see how much more you can get for you phone now at webuy.com

CeX was also rated #1 in a report by Which? and ITV recently and also in a seperate Which? report about selling electronics.

New CeX at Livingtson St. Brooklyn

2012-01-19T09:44:00.000-08:00

We've been expanding our stores in New York recently and Brooklyn is about to get a second CeX store. Hot on the heels of the Flatbush Avenue CeX, we're over the moon to let you know there's now a CeX open on Livingston Street, Brooklyn.

For a list of CeX stores across the USA click here. Want to tell us where you'd like a CeX then pop on over to the CeX facebook page and share your thoughts.

Try Quickie for faster CeX

2012-01-19T05:00:00.000-08:00

Want to know what your local CeX store has in stock when you're on the move? Need to know CeX buy, sell and exchange prices fast? Us too. Good news, the research labs at CeX Towers have developed CeX Quickie, a CeX search tool designed to make things faster easier for anyone using an internet enabled phone or tablet . Try Quickie here.

P.S. remember CeX stores have free unprotected CeX WiFi to make that search even faster.

He looks happy, which is important, but that beige phone won't work with CeX Quickie so it's all show. Any web enabled phone or tablet will work though. You can also try CeX Quickie on your computer too if you're curious, but it lacks the main site buy and sell functions.

CeX Google+ & Facebook

2012-01-15T18:49:00.000-08:00

Join over 26,000 people who are following CeX on Facebook and the new kids on the block, but without the shocking Delfonics' cover, Google+ for news, reviews, banter and competitions.

Best Games of 2011

2012-01-12T05:31:00.000-08:00

Now that all the gift giving and receiving is over I’m sure plenty of you opened your stockings to find games ready for you to indulge in. 2011 was a phenomenal year for games and I wanted to take this opportunity to walk you through what I consider to be the best games of 2011.

10. FIFA 12 (all platforms)
FIFA 12 is a self-explanatory pick – as the best sports simulator on the market bar NHL 12, it’s impossible to ignore the limitless replay value this game can offer. Boasting incredible graphics, terrific physics and game mechanics, there’s really no excuse not to enjoy this game.

09. Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 (all platforms)
Activision continues dominating the first-person shooting market by grossing over $750 million in Modern Warfare 3’s first week of sales. Some may complain that nothing has changed and it’s the same experience as before, but there are noticeable changes that make this installment the best the series has to offer. In particular smaller maps prevent camping, new killstreak variants ensure gamers of various skill levels can enjoy the game online, the campaign concludes in thrilling fashion and endless replay value keep you hooked to Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3.

08. L.A. Noire (all platforms)
Games that came out earlier in the year tend to be forgotten when people write their game of the year lists, but L.A. Noire deserves particular recognition and praise. Rockstar not only created a thoroughly entertaining detective game, but they have influenced the video game industry with the innovative Motion Scan technology used to digitize the faces of the actors in the game. This technology if progressed, could be an integral part of the video game industries future. As a result, L.A. Noire need to be remembered as potentially a pivotal game in 2011.

07. Dead Space 2 (X360 & PS3)
Dead Space is my favourite modern horror franchise. Coming out of nowhere, this psychological thriller boasted incredible gameplay mechanics, terrific atmosphere and a whole load of horrifying aliens to decimate. The hit sequel introduced a voice for lead protagonist Isaac Clarke, which to some may or may not have been an integral addition, however it certainly added an extra layer of psychological menace to the story as Isaac battled against the aliens and himself. That aside, if you’re looking for an intense 3rd person shooter, this is where to go.

06. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)
Skyward Sword continues to do what every The Legend of Zelda does upon release – build upon the same formula bit by bit. Nothing really has changed since the good old days of The Ocarina of Time, but the introduction of some modern-day gameplay elements alongside Wii Motion Plus, makes Skyward Sword one of Nintendo Wii’s best games by a long way. With the Wii U coming out this year, it’s safe to say that there won’t be a better game released on the original Wii than Skyward Sword, so if you’re looking for a dramatic exit, then give Skyward Sword a go.

05. Dark Souls (X360 & PS3)

I wish I could put this game at number 1, I really do – but it’s just too difficult. Dark Souls is an incredible role-play game. It balances a beautiful world with fantastic gameplay, atmosphere and mechanics to create the perfect adventure. The online interaction with other players is also second to none. However, and it’s just such an unfortunate however, it’s too difficult. Dark Souls isn’t cheap, but it’s very brutal and at times, incredibly frustrating. If there was just some way to release a Director’s Cut or introduce some way to make it a tad easier for players who aren’t capable of handling the insane difficulty curve, it would be my game of the year and a much better RPG than The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

04. Portal 2 (all platforms)

What started as nothing more than filler for The Orange Box has now become an Internet sensation and as a result, spawned one of 2011’s best titles. Portal 2 followed in the glorious footsteps of the original, intertwining hilarious narrative and dialogue with clever physics-based puzzles using a Portal Gun. The story is intriguing, the puzzles are challenging and the whole experience culminates in fantastic fashion. The introduction of a multiplayer mode allowed you to play with a buddy on and offline, which was a brilliant addition to the series. Portal 2 is one the best modern games you’ll play without doubt.

03. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (all platforms)

Some of you will be shocked that Skyrim isn’t number 1 on my list, but I don’t see how it deserves that position in all honesty. The game is certainly terrific – the expansive world and endless quest logging makes for an engulfing but in my opinion, a suffocating experience. There’s too much going on for me and while I understand all of the positive elements of Skyrim, I believe it’s too ambitious and the development team weren’t big enough to cope with the sheer size of the vision they originally set out for Skyrim – why else are there horses flying about mountains and dragons merging with buildings? That aside, Skyrim is probably (sigh) the best role-play game ever made, even though I feel like I’m lying to myself when I say that.

02. Batman: Arkham City (all platforms)

How do you top a game like Arkham Asylum? You don’t, that’s the simple answer unfortunately. What Arkham City does is acknowledges that the original title was just so freaking good that the best thing to do is continue straight along the same path. As a result, Arkham Asylum brings almost nothing new to the table in terms of combat, but introduces a more expansive city to traverse (North Gotham) and a brand new elegantly designed story. With the introduction of new characters the story was entertaining and made Arkham City just as much fun as the original. Lots of side-missions and secrets make North Gotham a dark and vivid place to explore well worth your time.

01. Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception (PS3)

My number one choice is hands down Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception. 2011 was a terrific year for video games but the third installment in Naughty Dog’s series was clearly head and shoulders above the competition. In terms of technical proficiency, the game was stupendous, marvelous, and simply brilliant. Not only was it the most beautiful game of 2011, it was the most exciting and most engaging. Drake is a fantastic protagonist who holds a fantastic ensemble of characters together as a dramatic and thrilling story unfolds in Drake’s Deception. 2011 didn’t have a better game than this.

Hope you had a brilliant New Year and if you didn’t get your hands on any of these games, get down to your local CeX and pick them up – you’ll be in for a real treat.

Igor Kharin.

Do you agree? Head over to the CeX facebook page and share your thoughts with the CeX Community.

Saints Row: The Third

2012-01-05T07:45:00.000-08:00

Why do we play video games? Some of us play for an immersive experience, others pick up a pad so they can play with friends, but most of us turn on our consoles to have a fun time. Make no mistake, you won’t find a heart-churning story or thought provoking characters guiding you through Steelport City – rather Saints Row: The Third takes open world adventure to a whole new level with full emphasis on creating absolute carnage and having the time of your life. This is a game that knows exactly what it’s supposed to deliver and does so while ensuring at all times that you are having a lot of fun – so compare it to Grand Theft Auto all you want, but there’s enough here to nullify that comparison as Saints Row: The Third has a huge personality of its own.

Saints Row: The Third sets an over-the-top benchmark from the word go as your gang finds itself in Steelport City. No knowledge is required of Saints activity in previous games as this installment introduces Steelport as a fantastic new playground with three rival gangs to contend with. After an inventive bank heist goes wrong, you’re forced to battle for dominance against the Morning Star, a group controlling the sex trade and manufacturing superhuman thugs, the Deckers, a gang of money launderers and the Luchadores, who control the gambling scene. Each rival gang gleams with personality and cater nicely to their stereotypes. It becomes apparent very early on that Saints Row: The Third won’t at any point take itself seriously, which actually allows the story to be highly entertaining, introducing some great characters along the way and keeping things light-hearted and comical throughout. This is especially prevalent in your character creation segment where only your wildest imagination can act as a barrier between a scandalously dressed vixen to an absurdly dressed hulk-like man – however you choose to create and customize your character, the chances are they won’t come out as a serious protagonist.

While there is a certain element of structure in Saints Row: The Third, you are given enough freedom from the get-go to pretty much do whatever you want. In previous Saints Row games, players would approach individual gangs and tackle their particular missions, but here the story interconnects your enemies, creating a much more open-ended story. The way you choose to interact with each gang can have different results on how the story plays out, what missions become available later on and how territory and environments change across Steelport. While the main missions are important, you’ll be pretty caught up with the crazy carnage that is presented to you outside of the story in side missions. A variety of content including gang warfare, mini-games, conquering territory and let’s not forget Professor Genki’s Super Ethical Reality Climax show, are just a few of the crazy things you can get up to in Steelport, and that’s not to mention the fun time you can have by simply causing havoc without a goal set in place.

Saints Row: The Third does an excellent job blending third-person action with driving and flying gameplay, ensuring there’s always something fun and different to do at any given time. Playing through the various missions and completing certain goals rewards you with respect, which are experience points. These points can be used to improve key attributes, unlock perks and increase your gang size, while the in-game money purchases clothes, weapons, cars, shops, properties and upgrades for all of the above, making your life as a gangster, that much easier and more fun. There’s nothing quite like piloting a fighter jet across Steelport and decimating everything in sight, or taking to the streets in a pimped out car that looks like it just came out of a Fast & Furious movie. However you go about your business in Saints Row: The Third, you will feel like a superstar.

For all the good that can be said about Saints Row: The Third, it’s surprising that very little actually flaws the game dramatically. Unfortunately in comparison to today’s technical masterpieces like Uncharted 3, this certainly falls down in the graphical department. Steelport is a pretty city, but lacks that certain personality required to really make it feel alive. The open-world environment is actually a false pretense, with many environmental features, vehicles and even people simply popping onto the screen as you draw nearer. The narrative and audio is rather hit and miss too, with some dialogue being incredibly comical, while at other times it’s just downright cringe worthy. The game has some occasional problems recognizing that you’ve completed segments of missions and the AI in general lacks any sort of intelligence. These issues are very small and don’t hamper the experience significantly, but they are prevalent enough to be noticeable throughout your time with Saints Row: The Third. That being said, the fact that the concentration is dramatically aimed at having an absolute blast, it makes it that much easier to overlook these niggling issues because really, they don’t stop you from having a brilliant time.

Emphasis on enjoyment isn’t made anymore clear than with the inclusion of a cooperative game mode. Saints Row: The Third allows you to bring a buddy along for the ride. Participating in missions or just causing mayhem on the streets, it doesn’t matter what you get up to because the results are always hilarious. This extra addition adds another dimension to Saints Row: The Third because being able to share the fun with a real friend makes it that much more entertaining. There’s even a competitive game mode called Cat and Mouse, forcing one player to try and kill the other before they get to an end goal. Again however, with great fun comes little issues that have to be mentioned – the carnage can cause some graphical hitches and for some bizarre reason, you can’t replay through missions you’ve already completed and both players have to be up to the same point in the story to play together.

What’s a modern game without a Horde mode these days right? Well Saints Row: The Third brings to the table, what it likes to call “Whored mode.” This aptly named survival mode doesn’t offer the same level of technical challenge that other high profile games may, but it allows you to hit people across the head with large purple sex toys, seriously what more do you want? Versatility in waves and an overabundance of absurd ways to complete them makes Whored mode a bunch of fun.

Ultimately Saints Row: The Third deserves a heap of praise because it knew what it wanted to achieve right off the bat and delivered it in spades. Here is an experience catered for an over-the-top and ridiculous time and you get nothing but that. They say knowing your weaknesses will make you stronger, well Saints Row: The Third completely omits that life lesson and smashes it over the head with a purple dildo (its in the game) – you want carnage, action and a whole load of fun, well Saints Row: The Third is home to that and more, so go grab a copy and prepare for a wild and hilarious time.

9.0 | Gameplay |

So much fun. A wide variety of content to get stuck into, plenty of weapons, vehicles and tools of destruction are present to keep you causing havoc in lots of fun and unique ways. An excellent level up and upgrade system consistently rewards you with really cool stuff for simply playing the game.

7.5 | Presentation |

Certain elements of Saints Row: The Third look great, but in general it doesn’t really keep up with the modern heights of gaming. The false pretense of a giant open world is slightly disappointing. But it’s rare to find time to complain about these little issues because you’ll be too busy engrossed in the ridiculous action.

9.0 | Replay Value |

There’s plenty to get your teeth stuck into here. Lots of side missions intertwine nicely with the main story. Cooperative is a real blast and Whored mode can keep you coming back for more long after you get bored of Steelport.

9.0 | Final Thoughts |

Respect is given when respect is due. Saints Row: The Third knows exactly what it isn’t and what it is. It’s not a technical marvel, it’s not an emotional masterpiece, but it’s heaps of fun and overall a testament that sometimes all a game needs to be successful, is utter chaos.

Igor Kharin.

Need for Speed: The Run

2011-12-28T09:08:00.000-08:00

The series Need for Speed has amassed a loyal following of fans thanks to overall, an impressive catalogue of arcade racing games. Due to different companies constantly taking the reigns for development, fans are never quite sure how the final product will pan out – will it be a more serious racer like SHIFT, or will there be a lot more arcade-action like in Hot Pursuit. Developed by Black Box, Need for Speed: The Run falls nicely in between these two titles and brings to the table some exciting racing segments across very impressive environments. Unfortunately, the blockbuster story holding the game together is horrific at best and key issues prevent this installment from being anywhere near the best the series has to offer.

The story concentrates on the unfortunate Jack Rourke who gets involved with the wrong people, which forces him to partake in a cross-country race to buy back his freedom (because all problems are solved with cross-country races). Need for Speed: The Run’s Hollywood-like tone is cheesy, cringe-worthy and a serious waste of time. The narrative does very little to help the cast and for the most part, the story fails to make any sense at all. Luckily for you, apart from an opening cut-scene and occasional timed button-press segments, you don’t really have to pay attention or get involved with the story, allowing you to simply concentrate on the racing.

As bad as the story is, we’ve come for the racing and boy will you be doing plenty of that. Need for Speed: The Run offers beautiful and varied terrain to travel across using a whole host of different muscle, sports and luxury cars. The cars drive smoothly, the action is exhilarating and more often than not, the AI does a fairly decent job at keeping races from being too easy (although this could be due to the annoying rubber band feature where cars catch up or pull back to keep cars together offering the illusion of it being an even race).

Jack’s journey from San Francisco to New York will not only let you see lots of different environments, but you’ll also have the opportunity to compete in different challenges and race modes. As you travel across America you’ll be required to avoid mobsters, avoid natural disasters, take down police officers, increase your position, beat certain racers and play against the clock – Need for Speed: The Run does an excellent job at keeping you under pressure, which is probably the only emotion you might come to share with our lead protagonist.

As exciting as the racing is, even this suffers from key issues. Your journey across America is organised in stages, with each stage holding a number of events. You actually aren’t able to access individual events should you choose to replay them, rather you are forced to play the entire stage all the way through including watching and partaking in any cut scenes, until you eventually get to the segment you wanted to tackle again. Your racing experience is also separated by checkpoints, which is where you’ll respawn should you crash or sometimes even diverge from the race track. Finally, I have to emphasize one more time just how bad the on-foot timed segments really are, they simply don’t fit into the game and provide nothing but a distraction from what the game is actually good at.

Fortunately, there are some ok multiplayer aspects that are worth checking out in Need for Speed: The Run. Online racing is as good as it has always been in Need for Speed games, variation in game modes and car-specific races dominate the online experience. You also earn experience points by doing anything in the game, which is beneficial in the beginning but you find yourself running out of cool things to unlock pretty quickly. The absolutely fantastic Autolog experience also returns to keep track of every single thing you do, spurring some nice rivalry between you and your friends as you battle for leaderboard dominance. Again however, certain technical hitches crop up every once in a while, which don’t ruin the experience but you’d hope a series so well established would have removed these kinks by now.

Ultimately it’s just a shame that a series which seems to be constantly improving, is forced to take quite a dramatic step back. Beautiful visuals thanks to the Frostbite 2 engine and detailed tracks make travelling across America in Need for Speed: The Run, a really enjoyable experience. The average game content, completely unnecessary story and poor pacing overshadow what is a very impressive environment. A racing game has to race well and unfortunately, there are better racers out on the market – so pick up a copy if you dare but in all honesty, I’d go with FORZA 4 or Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit.

7.0 | Gameplay |
Need for Speed: The Run is a good arcade racer, but it does nothing outside the box and fails to deliver any substantial content. The cars are beautiful, handle well and the racetrack designs are very impressive. A decent variety in goals throughout the racing and a good sense of constant pressure are certainly highlights in this experience.

8.0 | Presentation |
The Frostbite 2 engine certainly makes Need for Speed: The Run a beautiful looking game. The cars are gorgeous and the environments are not only developed for good racing, but also look terrific. The same can’t be said for the story cut-scenes, with character models nowhere near to the same standard with improper lip synching and poor voice acting present throughout.

5.5 | Replay Value |
Multiplayer and the brilliant Autolog system will give you reason to come back and continue racing, but it’s difficult to justify a lot of time after you’ve gone through Need for Speed: The Run’s story. I can pretty much guarantee you won’t do story mode more than once.

6.5 | Final Thoughts |
Disappointing is unfortunately my final verdict for Need for Speed: The Run. This series has been going from height to height in recent years and after thoroughly enjoying Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, I was pretty excited for this installment. From the moment I saw the first ever footage with this emphasis on a human character being able to do on-foot segments, I knew it was going to be a mess. Need for Speed: The Run does arcade racing well, but by no means the best on the market and everything else about the game is dull, unimaginative and not worth your time.

Igor Kharin.

Selling? Consumers' Association finds CeX Pays You More & rated by Yahoo!

2011-12-28T05:42:00.000-08:00

CeX is the fastest, friendliest and fairest place to sell your unwanted games, movies and gadgets. This has been backed up by a pile of independent surveys CeX where has come out as the place that pays you more.

A survey published by Which, the UK Consumers' Association, found ‘it was CeX that made us the most money’ when selling a camera for cash. CeX paid more than anyone else on the High Street and more than time consuming auction sites too.

Read the article here.

CeX was also named on Yahoo Finance, where expert Felicity Hannah states in an article "How to sell your stuff" that her avid gamer husband uses CeX too. Praise indeed.

CeX opens in Flatbush NYC

2011-12-19T04:56:00.000-08:00

We’ve been expanding the reach of your stores in the US and are delighted to announce the first CeX in Brooklyn for your buying, selling and exchanging pleasure. Indulge yourself in CeX seven days a week at 865 Flatbush Ave, NY11226. We’ll more share photos soon.

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Some of the fine folk that made CeX Flatbush happen.

CeX in The Times of India

2011-12-19T03:09:00.000-08:00

The Times of India reports on one of the first of many CeX stores opening in India. The CeX store count in India as of December 2011 stands at four, with many more to come.

"Mumbai finally gets a new shopping landmark with the launch of Phoenix Marketcity (PMC) spread across a retail space of about 2.1 million square feet. Located at LBS Marg, Kurla; the Phoenix Marketcity is all about its expanse, experience and exclusivity for serious shoppers. PMC will house 330 plus brands across categories like fashion apparel, footwear, jewellery, accessories, F&B, entertainment, and much more. The perfect destination for discerning shoppers and brand lovers, PMC brings the international standard hub of retail with domestic and international brands along with entertainment. Phoenix Marketcity will house 330 plus brands to the ranks of Zara (flagship store), CeX (first time in India), Nike (flagship store in India), L’Occitane, Luxury Boulevard (first time in India), BEBE (biggest Store in India), AND (biggest store — introducing menswear for the first time), Café Pico (first in India), Puma (flagship Store), Reliance Mart (biggest in India), Hush Puppies, Catwalk, Esbeda, Derby, Puma, Provogue, Denizen, Blackberry, Levis, Aldo, Promod, Charles & Keith, Clarks, Indian Terrain, John Players, Swarovski, Vero Moda, Jack and Jones, Only, Pieces, FCUK, UCB, Debenhams, Luxury Boulevard, Lavie, La Senza, Lifestyle, Nine West, Timberland, Diesel, Zingrin and many more.

We have to agree with The Times who state, "It doesn't get much better than this."

CeX Phoenix Marketcity, Kurla.

CeX in India: 4 stores & counting!

2011-12-13T09:03:00.000-08:00

UPDATE 13th December 2011

.....and Kurla makes 4 CeX stores in India this year!

We are ecstatic that our fourth Indian store has opened in Kurla today.

2011 marks the year CeX landed in India & we could not be happier.

We have a treasure trove of phones, games, movies and gadgets just waiting for you to buy, sell and exchange.

Come find us on the Ground Floor of the Phoenix Market City Mall, Kurla.

UPDATE 26th October 2011: CeX now open in Bangalore, India.

Here at CeX we are celebrating the opening of our 3rd Indian store in Bangalore. In perfect timing with Diwali, lots of fireworks & smiles going around.

Find CeX Bangalore in the shiny Phoenix Market City Mall.

CeX, 21 Phoenix Market City Mall Bangalore. (Click for map)

UPDATE: 5th October 2011: Vashi now joins Pune.

CeX stores in India take after London buses it seems. After waiting ages for one, they come along together, with a new CeX shop just opened in Vashi. Find CeX Vashi just outside CentreOne Mall at 15, Real Tech Park, Plot No. 39/2, Sector 30A, Vashi, Navi Mumbai 400 703. We've two floors of phones, games, movies and gadgets just waiting for you to buy, sell and exchange.

CeX Vashi, now open!

CeX opens in India!

A new day, a new Continent for CeX! We're overjoyed to announce the opening of the first of many CeX stores in India. CeX is now open in Pune, in the shiny Phoenix Market City Mall. Find this historic CeX on the second floor between Fun City and Pizza Hut to see just how much more cash we pay for your stuff.

We're ready seven days a week to help you buy, sell or exchange phones, games, DVDs, Blu-rays, electronics, iPods, cameras, computers, components and displays. Look out for more CeX stores opening in Banglore, Vashi and Mumbai very soon. A website with Indian pricing, stock levels and much more is coming very soon.

CeX Pune, some of the many that made it happen:)

We ♥ recycling.
www.webuy.com

FREE Shipping on orders $50+

2011-12-12T12:01:00.000-08:00

Order now and get FREE shipping on orders $50 and over to all lower 48 States until Jan 1 2012. We’ll brave the cold for you so you can stay snug & snap up those holiday gifts without even leaving your house. Toasty!

Order in time for CeXmas

2011-12-12T08:25:00.000-08:00

Order by midnight on the 17th Dec (GMT) & we'll try our very hardest to make sure Santa's CeX sack gets to you by Xmas.

Merry CeXmas

CeX Opens in Portland, ME

2011-12-10T10:44:00.000-08:00

CeX has opened in Portland, Maine. We've polished the iPhones and rolled out the red awnings. CeX Portland is open 7 days a week for you to buy, sell and exchange games, phones, DVDs, Blu-rays, computers and electronics. Check what we pay compared to the other guys, you'll be shocked just how much more you get at CeX.

Find CeX at 18 Exchange Street, Portland, ME 04101. We'll post photos very soon.

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Win CeX Vouchers!

2011-12-09T08:17:00.000-08:00

Win CeX Vouchers with the Stick 'n Snap Photo competition

For your chance to win CeX Vouchers head on over to our facebook. Open to all!

Get CeX snap happy!

Super Mario 3D Land

2011-12-07T09:32:00.000-08:00

As far as video game franchises go, does it really get any bigger than Super Mario? Our favourite iconic plumber returns in glorious fashion but this time, he has more to do on his agenda than simply rescue Princess Peach. Nintendo have stated in the past that the first Super Mario game to be released on Nintendo 3DS will be the first proper representation of what their 3D handheld is capable of. So inevitably Mario sets out on a new adventure in Super Mario 3D Land that encompasses everything we know and love about Mario, while at the same time adding a few fresh touches to keep this trip to the Mushroom Kingdom, another thoroughly entertaining one.

Super Mario 3D Land begins with yet another plot device as an excuse for Bowser to kidnap Princess Peach. After a wild storm hits the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario finds a letter next to a special tree standing on Princess Peach’s land. Not only has the Princess disappeared but also the magical leaves from the tree were blown away, granting Tanooki power to anyone lucky enough to touch these leaves. Of course Mario and his buddies aren’t best pleased with the situation and so begins your journey to rescue the Princess and save Mushroom Kingdom.

Your journey spans across a variety of themed worlds from Mario’s classical heritage, all the way through to modern environments. You will be required to travel to these locations and collect Star Coins to unlock new stages and progress to new worlds. Super Mario 3D Land does an excellent job at pacing your experience, with special stages and boss battles mixed nicely into the regular platforming action. The platforming itself has been designed remarkably well with Shigeru Miyamoto describing the game as a “mix between Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario 64.” Your goal is to reach the flagpole at the end of each level before the timer runs out -- sounds simple doesn’t it? Unfortunately through the beginning levels it actually is relatively simple, but sticking with Super Mario 3D Land to the latter portion of the game reveals a thoroughly challenging and engaging set of levels that will make any fan of Mario or platforming in general, squeal with delight.

Despite modern elements of Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario 3D Land plays predominately like classic Mario games. Fluid controls thanks to the 3DS’s circle pad makes moving Mario simple and fun. Throughout your adventure you will come across plenty of lovable bad guys, interesting puzzles and cool power-ups. What’s a Mario game without a few fire-flowers and mushrooms? Well Super Mario 3D Land adds a few other cool toys to play with, including the classic Tanooki Suit – allowing Mario to hover in mid-air and bash enemies with a cute tail. A hard-shelled suit is also available, giving players access to a boomerang, which can be used not only as a weapon, but a hook to grab hard-to-reach goodies. Even invincibility items have been included called The Invincibility Leaf and P-Wing for that extra hand in case you get seriously stuck. These along with other nifty surprises thrown into the mix make Super Mario 3D Land’s platforming feel fresh and exciting.

Inevitably we were going to discuss the 3D elements of Super Mario 3D Land. Claiming that this will be the title to make full and optimal usage of 3D technology was a brave statement from Nintendo, but for the most part it is fairly accurate. While Super Mario 3D Land can be played completely in 2D without any problems at all, the level design has been created with 3D in mind. Depth perception, aerial sections and Mario’s power-ups all look stunning with 3D turned on. The 3DS’s gyro technology is also implemented for binocular segments in the game, allowing Mario to locate Toads to earn additional goodies. With other Nintendo 3DS games you normally hear the same old line “the 3D does nothing to enhance the experience,” – Super Mario 3D Land is an example of a game built from the ground up with 3D at the heart of development. It’s such a fantastic game that you will enjoy it in 2D, but there are moments here, magical moments that you will miss, unless you have 3D turned on.

Super Mario 3D Land also ensures not to leave you by yourself and implements some level of player interaction. Since all levels are timed and recorded, you can battle it out for best completion in both normal levels and the various challenge rooms available. Street Pass is also enabled allowing players to exchange items in challenge cubes. All of this lets you engage with other 3DS owners and spurs on friendly competition, adding replay value to an already plentiful game.

Every single time a new Mario game comes out I always ask myself “how on earth are they going to make it different this time, surely they’ve run out of ideas by now?” Every single time, I’m wrong. Super Mario 3D Land takes the best from Mario’s past and modern exploits and rolls them into a specially designed, 3D package. This is everything you love about Nintendo’s iconic franchise, bundled in a beautiful, easy-to-use and refreshing manner – the gameplay is fun, the 3D is important and the replay value is high. Super Mario 3D Land is the staple platformer for any Nintendo 3DS owner this holiday period.

9.0 | Gameplay |

Super Mario 3D Land has a variety of different worlds to explore, each with their own unique stages, puzzles, challenges and boss battles. On top of this, the mirroring challenge worlds help step up the difficulty, giving hardcore Mario fans even more to obsess about. Lots of fantastic power-ups and clever level design makes you want to keep playing just to see the next thing you have to tackle.

9.5 | Presentation |

Built with 3D in mind, Super Mario 3D Land is a beautiful game full of vibrant colours and fantastic characters. I keep going back to level design, but it’s truly what makes Mario games so unique, especially considering how well the 3D is implemented. To an extent, Super Mario 3D Land is its own worst enemy because the level design is so good, you could play with 3D turned off and still have a remarkable experience.

9.0 | Replay Value |

Plenty of replay value and it’s very easy to become obsessed with collecting all the Star Coins and getting everything out of this game, including a certain green-capped brother. Competitive elements also help keep you interacting with other 3DS console owners. Street Pass lets you get involved with people who don’t even own Super Mario 3D Land.

9.0 | Final Thoughts |

Super Mario 3D Land is the staple platformer for Nintendo 3DS – it is beautifully designed and executed with perfection. Everything about this game suggests care and attention to detail and you will feel the love and affection Nintendo have for Mario when you play every single level in Super Mario 3D Land. It’s an absolute testament to how a series can keep coming back feeling reinvigorated and fresh – Nintendo are simply the masters of taking the old and launching it into the modern era of gaming.

Igor Kharin.

Weekend Site Maintenance

2011-12-01T10:21:00.000-08:00

We hate any down time, but need to do some site maintenance on webuy.com from 10pm GMT (or if you're the US 5pm ET, 2pm PT) Saturday 3 December to 6am GMT Sunday 4 December. We hope to keep the offline time under 4 hours, but just wanted to inform you of this maintenance.

We'll keep the down time to a minimum, we know it sucks.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

2011-12-01T09:19:00.001-08:00

Upon arriving to The Legend of Zelda’s 25th anniversary, fans of the series would inevitably be expecting a mesmerizing new title in the franchise. While The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword isn’t a total reinvention of the formula, it is certainly a nostalgic trip encompassing everything we know and love about Link and his adventures, sprinkled with enough modern elements to keep it feeling fresh. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is a great installment that continues the thrill of exploring dungeons, defeating giant bosses and engaging with a charming and beautiful world. Unfortunately, the experience is interrupted at times by occasional hitches in the control mechanics and some repetitive exploration segments. Nevertheless, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will engross fans of the series and fans of adventure games by doing the franchise utmost justice with another fantastic installment well deserving of being named one of the best The Legend of Zelda has to offer.

Skyward Sword acts as a prequel to Ocarina of Time and tells the tale of Link and Zelda’s life in Skyloft, the discovery of Hyrule, the forging of the Master Sword, the battle against Lord Ghirahim and Ganondorf’s origin. Naturally our silent protagonist is at the heart of the adventure, but Zelda plays a slightly more prevalent role than in prior games – their rapport is well developed throughout, so well actually that it makes other characters throughout seem quite empty in comparison. That’s not to say that the evil Ghirahim won’t pluck at your heart strings as he weaves darkness upon the land or Fi doesn’t add companionship in her own little way, but ultimately for the past 25 years we have been following this fictional couple and it’s a joy to see their interaction reach a more engaging level.

Traversing across Skyward Sword’s various environments is an absolute joy. The story encompasses numerous areas, towns and dungeons to explore as you travel between Skyloft and Hyrule. No game has looked better on the Nintendo Wii and you could go as far as to say that no game ever will. Beautiful artistic design and vibrant colours bring these locations to life as Nintendo opted for a nice middle ground between The Wind Waker’s cell shaded design and the more serious tone of Twilight Princess. Whether you’re travelling by foot or flying a Loftwing uncovering secret islands in the sky, Skyward Sword ensures to marvel with brilliant visuals and another wonderfully orchestrated sound track.

Naturally roaming these wonderful environments you will encounter a wide variety of enemies. Skyward Sword opts to use Wii Motion Plus that transforms your Wiimote into Link’s sword. I found the controls to be surprisingly responsive but the experience is really shaped depending on how seriously you choose to take the game. What I mean by this is enemies reveal weak points that require different types of hand movements from you to perform a particular sword attack – but unfortunately it is possible at times to simply parry and flail your controller like a mad man and chances are you will still get the job done. So the question is whether you’d like to play the game slowly and skillfully, engaging each enemy, finding and exploiting their weak point, or rather opt for the hyperactive swinging controller technique. There’s no question that Wii Motion Plus is used brilliantly here for all of Link’s tools and gadgets as well, but occasional awkward camera scenarios and frequent recalibration can lead to frustrating moments in your Skyward Sword experience.

The way you are forced to engage with these mechanics is a whole other story. Wii Motion Plus has allowed Skyward Sword to evolve the franchise in magnificent and entertaining ways. Although there’s plenty that is familiar about this game, the motion controls make Skyward Sword stand out above all other installments in the series. Clever puzzle design, engaging enemies and dangerous boss battles all try and get you to use the motion controls in fascinating ways, making it very difficult to justify going back and playing The Legend of Zelda with any other control scheme.

Another highlight in Skyward Sword is a slight overhaul of the traditional dungeon elements all The Legend of Zelda games are known for. Usually each dungeon rewards you with a new gadget and you use the gadget to complete the dungeon – things aren’t as linear anymore. While the pace of acquiring gadgets is still great, you will be required to use your entire tool bag to get through the various dungeons and caverns you find yourself in. Full to the brim with clever puzzles, twists and turns, Skyward Sword will you have scratching your head but with a very balanced difficulty curve you’ll rarely get frustrated, but prepare to grind to a halt from time to time.

Like all The Legend of Zelda games, your experience can be hampered somewhat by repetition. Skyward Sword is a large game that is set across a variety of environments but you will find that the game forces you to return to areas you have already explored on numerous occasions. While your objectives and goals change, sometimes if feels cumbersome running up and down the same grassy plain when you know you’ve already been there and done that. Thankfully plenty of side quests and hidden treasures are hidden and reward exploration so getting inside every nook and cranny is absolutely essential if you want to discover everything Skyward Sword has to offer.

A few other additions have been implemented to ensure Skyward Sword continues moving the franchise forward. An upgrade system for your tools is introduced to make collecting various items a worthwhile detour. These make significant changes to your items, upgrading their power or changing how they are used – finding the appropriate items to enhance your bag of goodies is a whole load of fun and will keep you busy while progressing through the main story.

It is never an easy task to create new installments into a series that for the most part, has seen nothing but critically acclaimed success. The Legend of Zelda knows nothing but glory and fortunately, Skyward Sword follows the franchises traditions to the letter while at the same time bringing in modern elements of gaming to ensure progression. Appeasing fans of the series while at the same time moving The Legend of Zelda forward is certainly no easy task but it is achieved in a spirited fashion here. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword implements an excellent blend of nostalgic fun, coupled with a brilliant new control scheme while at the same time tidying and polishing up those little elements that were starting to get old and made them user friendly for the modern age of gaming. If you’re looking for an engrossing and enchanting adventure, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is the game for you this holiday period.

8.5 | Gameplay |

Classical The Legend of Zelda gameplay intertwines with modern Wii Motion Plus movement mechanics in seamless fashion. Newly designed dungeons helps make a traditional formula feel reinvigorated, in particular impressive puzzles are spread across your entire journey. Occasional issues with the motion controls and some camera issues hamper the experience somewhat.

10 | Presentation |

Stunning visuals and a beautiful orchestrated soundtrack makes Skyward Sword the best looking game you will ever see on the Nintendo Wii. Blending cartoon-like graphics from The Wind Waker and the more serious of Twilight Princess has created the most beautiful installment of The Legend of Zelda we have seen yet.

9.0 | Replay Value |

A 35 hour + story mixed with lots of side quests warrants your time and deserves more than one play-through. It truly is a magical journey taking from all of The Legend of Zelda’s history – with plenty to see and so much to experience; it’s difficult to leave once you’ve been sucked in.

9.0 | Final Thoughts |

When talking about The Legend of Zelda and any new installment in the series, everyone always asks one question – “Is it better than Ocarina of Time?” Each new game tries to bring something new and move the series forward – Skyward Sword’s use of Wii Motion Plus changes the whole dynamics of The Legend of Zelda. Once you interact with Link’s gadgets using the intuitive motions controls, you’ll find it difficult to ever play another The Legend of Zelda game without these new mechanics that really feel like they belong. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword deserves its place on Ocarina of Time’s pedestal, but not as a superior, rather an equal with its impact on the gaming community similar to that of the Nintendo 64 classic.

Igor Kharin.

Assassin's Creed: Revelations

2011-11-29T09:19:00.001-08:00

One thing I have always enjoyed as a video gamer is when a legacy concludes in spectacular fashion. Assassin's Creed: Revelations depicts the story of Ezio and Altair’s final journey as their stories intertwine with the most heroic bartender of all time, Desmond. An engaging and fascinating tale holds this very similar Assassin's Creed formula together – so don’t think you’ll be playing a wholly refined experience because familiar mechanics resonate throughout. That being said, it’s not necessarily a bad thing, after all why change a game that is loved by millions of gamers? A fitting ending to a fantastic set of characters sets up Assassin's Creed’s future for what has to be an expansion of the game’s core mechanics and gameplay, but for the time being, enjoy the comforting assassinations and effortless bounding across rooftops – enjoy what this series does best.

Revelations follows the story of three protagonists Ezio, Altair and Desmond. A brave decision was made back in production to create and intertwine these characters’ journeys, but for the most part it pays off. Of course Ezio’s quest is at the heart of this adventure with the veteran assassin struggling to find links between himself and Altair while trying to cope with the social and political unrest in Constantinople. Ezio’s journey is entrancing, dangerous and eye opening, you feel the assassins’ story slowly conclude and making that journey with him is a memorable gaming experience.

Alongside Ezio’s tale, Desmond struggles to find a way out of the Animus as he traverses his thoughts in what can only be described as a Tron-like maze – digitized platforms, Matrix-esque back drops all help fill this electronic world. Unfortunately while important for acquiring information about Subject 16, Desmond’s platforming sections do nothing to spur excitement in gameplay. The mysterious inhabitant of the Nexus leads Desmond down an interesting journey, unfortunately his often clumsy and awkward levels will have you wishing you were back on the streets stalking your next victim, instead of organizing Tetris blocks to jump on. Desmond’s historical counterpart Altair on the other hand, is far from unwanted in Revelations. Complimenting Ezio and Desmond, Altair brings the story full circle as Desmond discovers the missing fragments of his mind and fits all the pieces together.

Story aside, the great news is the majority of your time will be spent as Ezio, traversing the streets and eliminating targets. While Ezio has aged, his ability and skills feel effortless as ever. The beautiful Constantinople and other locations simply erupt with life as you move through the streets and watch the world go about its daily business. Assassins’ Creed has always been known for beautiful visuals and aesthetic environment design so it’s no surprise that Revelations continues this trend.

Of course you’d be hoping that most of your sightseeing will take place high on the rooftops and right you are. Revelations improves the movement mechanics by tweaking what ledges and gaps you grab to climb, making already believable parkour even more thrilling to watch. The addition of a new hook allows for cool zip line action and the ability to grab onto ledges that might have been out of reach in previous Assassin's Creed games. You even get access to parachutes should you decide a leap of faith isn’t your preferred travel choice. Ultimately Assassin's Creed prides itself with thrilling movement across various environments and it is here that Revelations continues to shine.

When you’re not running on rooftops, you will be going about various contracts and missions. The goal remains the same in Revelations, find your target and eliminate them. A varied arsenal of weapons really makes you feel like a deadly assassin and the different ways you pull of kills is satisfying. Should you run into a position where the only way out is to fight, larger weapons like swords, axes and even bombs come into play. Assassin's Creed has very rich combat mechanics but they have seen barely any change. Taking on multiple enemies is fun and fighting feels realistic as swords clang against each other as you pull off counter moves, but the real satisfaction comes from swift and silent assassinations, not taking down hordes of enemies.

The idea of avoiding hordes hasn’t seemed to sink in with Ubisoft as Revelations introduces a bizarre and highly unrewarding Tower Defense element to the game. Improving on the factions system from prior games, you are now forced to defend your territory in these mini games where you place assassins in certain areas and watch as they kill waves of enemies attacking you. Simple and pointless gameplay mechanics make this feel like a complete waste of time, doing nothing but diminishing the experience you have with Revelations.

It’s always important for franchises to progress and introducing multiplayer to Assassin's Creed was definitely a smart move. Competitive online action returns as you wade through the crowds trying to find your marked target without giving away your intentions. Assassin's Creed online is a wholly satisfying experience and the inclusion of game modes like Artifact Assault (Capture the Flag) and a variant of Team Deathmatch alongside a plethora of other content to get stuck into, there’s plenty of reason to explore the online components of this game.

There’s really no question that Assassin's Creed: Revelations is the game we have all come to know and love. One final installment in what has now become a predictable series, yet I can’t help but feel content and satisfied with the final product. Change is difficult when your formula is so successful and while fans will be content with Revelations, this has to be the last entry without significant changes and enhancements to the gameplay. That aside, you will find everything you want from an Assassin's Creed game here, exciting single player action and an enticing online multiplayer experience.

8.0 | Gameplay |

Magical movement mechanics hold together an aging game. It’s fun but you’ve experienced it before.

9.0 | Presentation |

Stunning visuals and a beautiful audio soundtrack makes Assassins’ Creed Revelations one of the best looking games we’ve seen.

7.0 | Replay Value |

Online multiplayer is fun but exploring the open world in single player is where the true fun is to be had. No significant content to return to unfortunately.

8.0 | Final Thoughts |

I believe that Assassins’ Creed knows the formula it uses is engaging, hence why there’s been so little change across the games. The argument is why fix what is not broken? The flip side is I’m getting tired of playing what is pretty much the same old game. Assassins’ Creed as a franchise needs to be revamped now and made even more spectacular than it was before. For the time being however, Revelations is engaging, entertaining and another great entrant in the series.

Igor Kharin.

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

2011-11-25T09:18:00.001-08:00

Every once in a while the video game industry is blessed with a world that is enchanting, engrossing and believable. Traversing the northern realm of Tamriel, Skyrim, you will lose hundreds of hours exploring this vast world, engaging with the entertaining characters and battling a variety of fascinating enemies. Make no mistake, this isn’t a game you can just pick up and play every once in a while, Skyrim demands your time and respect, but in exchange you will be rewarded with a mesmerizing world filled with enchantment and mystery. The journey is for the brave, but there’s help along the dark roads and refuge across Skyrim’s towns and villages – your goal is make a name for yourself as a hero of Skyrim and a slayer of dragons, but can you conquer it?

Bringing together elements of Oblivion and Fallout 3, Skyrim takes Bethesda’s RPG ventures to the next level as you wake up on a cart being transported to your execution. With no memory or recollection as to why you’re there, it all seems to be over before your adventure even begins. You choose a race inspired from the series but no class, put your head on the execution pedestal and stare into oblivion. Fortunately for you, oblivion is shaped like a dragon that lands before you and thwarts the execution – a sign from the Gods or pure chance? Running away from the dragon you scavenge for a weapon and get yourself to safety as the beast ravages the village.

Respite feels good, but the expansive world around you is a terrifying place. After escaping you are faced with the gruelling question of where to next? Fans of Bethesda’s RPG’s will be more than accustomed to being thrown into the wild and finding ways to fend for themselves. Do you find the next village or do you traverse the forest and mountains further in hope of finding a camp of people? These are the types of choices that Skyrim forces upon you from segment to segment, there is never a right or wrong answer, there’s merely what you think is the best choice for survival.

Skyrim opts for a fascinating way to implement your characters’ role-play mechanics, allowing you to enhance your skills as you use them in the game. Fight using a double-handed weapon and your double-handed skill increases, wear heavy armour and your defensive proficiency in armour increases, while using spells will make you a more effective caster. However, to ensure a sense of control, each time you level up you are given one perk point and allowed to increase either health, stamina or magicka. While your character is moulded throughout your journey, you can still point his progress in the direction you believe is more beneficial for your play through. This alongside your particular races special abilities and the Shout powers you learn from ancient ruins and slaying dragons, all make an individual character catering to your own personal needs.

Of course there’s only so much tinkering in the menus you can do before you have to put that sword or spell to action. Engaging the enemy has certainly been improved since Oblivion and Skyrim ensures a fluid and carnage-filled battle each and every time. With a variety of weapons at your disposal, hand-to-hand combat is entertaining and has been tweaked to feel more realistic as the sound of steel clangs until your enemy falls. Taking a leaf out of Fallout 3’s book, slow-motion kills are also present and act as executions should your character finish off a foe in dramatic fashion – these animations are very entertaining and add a sense of impact to the battle. Of course you can always play the long-distance game, keeping away from foes and engaging them with bows and magic. Although you will find that swarming foes will require close combat to execute, but you can combine combat styles effectively to put together a deadly character capable of handling any situation. Finally, should your morality favour avoiding combat, opting for a stealthier assassin like approach could be the appropriate course of action? It’s very possible to sneak around Skyrim and avoid mass confrontation, but doing so can raise suspicion and hamper the peace surrounding that particular town or city.

Indeed Skyrim does an excellent job reacting to everything going on in the realm. Deaths of important individuals and destruction of towns and cities all have serious consequences – tales are told and whispers travel of your endeavours and misdeeds. You mould your characters’ path with your own morality, acting as a hero or as a villain – both styles of gameplay are fun and can be rewarding in their own ways, stealing items leads to better equipment quicker while earning rewards off town-folk can bring about further presents and help later in your quests. However you decide to shape Skyrim, all of your actions will have consequences.

Skyrim prides itself with a huge variety of content. The story alone will suck you in for hours, but it’s the side quests that really flesh out this beautiful world. Seamlessly pointless or minuscule side quests can end up being epic journeys that could lead to huge rewards and bonuses. You can find yourself lost in Skyrim with the sheer volume of content to get stuck into as factions fight for your loyalty, wars require your blade and citizens need your help – the question you must ask is for whose benefit will you get involved? Skyrim’s current problems are almost as important as Tamriel’s history – scattered across the world are a variety of logs and books explaining Skyrim’s history and past events – fans of fictional reading will definitely get a kick out of finding these books and taking the time to read into and discover the rich history behind the world you inhabit.

Unfortunately not all is wonderful in the world of Skyrim – fans of the series will be prepared for a range of technical issues that come complimentary with any Bethesda RPG. While incredibly beautiful from a distance, environments don’t look as good up close. Character models are quite impressive but lip syncing issues come about every once in a while. Some characters may fall through ceilings and things can randomly appear out of nowhere – you don’t quite know why these things happen, but they don’t occur frequently enough to ruin an otherwise magical experience. Skyrim does excel with beautiful audio and arguably one of the best soundtracks of any modern game and for the most part all dialogue is engaging and worth listening to.

It’s hard to define a perfect game, but when one comes along with the ability to suck you in and not let go, you have to admit there’s an air of success surrounding the title. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim does this, but in such spectacular fashion that it warrants being placed in the category of the perfect game. An expansive and engrossing world filled to the brim with interesting and entertaining characters helps make Skyrim a believable place, a place you care about, a place where your characters’ history will be forged in blood. Dive into this adventure if you dare, but be prepared to sacrifice hundreds of hours as Skyrim takes over your life as you begin to lose track of reality.

9.0 | Gameplay |

Bethesda has refined their role-play formula to make the combat more fluid and the level-up system easier to implement. There’s always something to do, be it quests, battles or exploration, Skyrim caters for every type of role-play gamer. With the inclusion of Dragons as boss like characters, the game now has clear flag point elements throughout your adventure, allowing you to mark your success in a clearer fashion.

8.0 | Presentation |

A beautiful world is hindered slightly by occasional technical hitches. With so much content you can understand the sheer difficulty to ensure everything runs smoothly but we can still hope that one day, Bethesda will unveil a perfect role-play experience with no issues whatsoever.

10 | Replay Value |

Running through the campaign is only a tiny portion of this adventure – Skyrim is a world full of wonder and mystery. Exploring every nook and cranny is a whole load of fun and discovering side quests is as if not more entertaining than the main story itself.

9.0 | Final Thoughts |

Bethesda takes The Elder Scrolls another step forward as Skyrim takes over the minds of many role-play gamers. Enchanting gameplay with depth in story, narrative and environment ensures that everything that happens feels meaningful – everything you do has a consequence and it’s up to you to survive and flourish or walk down the path to your own destruction. The world is in your hands as your characters’ history unfolds before your very eyes.

Igor Kharin

Black Friday

2011-11-24T02:19:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

In the US we'll give you 5% extra store credit when you sell any item for exchange on Black Friday. Come trade in your old stuff towards your holiday gifts or just treat yourself.

CoD: Modern Warfare 3

2011-11-22T09:25:00.000-08:00

Formats: PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Wii

Once again it’s that time of year when Call of Duty returns in its refined form and 50% of all relationships break down due to males becoming disillusioned with real life and opting into the world of Modern Warfare. Activisions’ third installment continues the trend of tweaking an already engrossing and engaging formula, making it smoother, faster and more balanced. Finally completing a campaign spanning over three games is immensely satisfying, playing the all new Special Ops cooperative game modes is hugely rewarding and battling it out online against fellow gamers in competitive multiplayer is probably the most addictive experience an FPS has ever brought to any platform. Make no mistake about it, this is everything you already know and love, but the little additions make for an even more frantic affair, one that getting away from is damn near impossible.

An interesting question to ask fans of the Call of Duty series is whether or not they pay attention to campaign mode. Some gamers literally don’t touch the single player story, while others believe that it’s a fantastic experience and a highly underrated mode in the game. Modern Warfare 3 concludes the battle against the tyrant Makarov, but does so in an exceptionally thrilling fashion. Visiting iconic Western locations such as Paris, New York and London bring a new angle of combat to the story where gamers can familiarize themselves with each specific location. As always the campaign’s pacing is relatively impressive, with vehicle and support sections complimenting the ground warfare nicely, but the emotional weaving of the story just doesn’t quite match up to the thrill we all expect from Call of Duty. This is to be expected of course being the end of a trilogy, but the series never dug deep enough into the characters and plot to warrant any serious emotional attachment so you’re left pretty much guessing what’s going to happen in the few dramatic moments and most of the time, you’ll be absolutely right. Modern Warfare 3 tries to plug away at your heartstrings but ultimately, it’s the guns and explosions we want, not the drama.

Once you’re through the campaign you can move onto the competitive multiplayer, or you could spare a moment for that little box on the left of the title screen titled Special Ops. Returning from Modern Warfare 2, Spec Ops pits you into campaign orientated missions either solo or with a friend, and forces you to battle it out to an objective, target or goal. These missions are varied, engaging and thoroughly challenging, providing a huge stream of replay value for you and your friends, be it either hunting for leaderboard glory or just completing each mission on the hardest difficulty setting. You’ll once again traverse a variety of locations from submarines to the city streets, wherever you find yourself, it’s a whole load of fun to get stuck in and see how your score fairs against the rest of the world.

You’d think by now I’d have covered everything and we would talk about the online multiplayer, well how wrong you are! Spec Ops has another game mode that fans of Zombies will absolutely adore – Survival mode. Endless waves of enemy soldiers swamp your location as you and your friends dig deep to survive. Resembling Zombie mode, Spec Ops Survival is a welcome break from the undead as enemies are smarter, engage you with weapons and will try to overrun your location. As you progressively climb higher up the wave numbers you begin unlocking weapon, explosive and perk crates. You use the money you earn in between rounds to purchase new weapons, new explosives, perks like Sleight of Hand and even your support artillery like Predator Missiles and Air Strikes. Enemies come in all shapes and sizes, from your typical soldier, to dogs, to helicopters – this versatility forces you to constantly change your load out in between rounds to make sure you are adequately equipped to survive the next wave. A fantastic addition to Spec Ops is whichever of the modes you play you will level up. The higher level you are, the better stuff you can unlock in the crates during survival mode. For example, going in at level 1 you have access to only basic weaponry, but progressing between level 10 – 20 will give you access to sentry turrets for defending yourself. This added incentive will force you to play over and over because each time you play, you’ll be better equipped than before. With plenty of maps and perks for getting stuck in, I have a feeling that this could really be more popular than Call of Duty Zombies.

Finally, the time has come – competitive online multiplayer. It’s great, seriously. Anyone who has played Call of Duty online will instantly recognize this brilliant system that provides action, excitement and addiction. The game has been refined with a few tweaks to make for a more balanced experience. First of all, killstreaks have been changed slightly – players now have the option of using your standard assault killstreak, which is three different bonuses that are unlocked after you amass a certain amount of kills, but the number resets should you die. These are your more powerful weapons like the Osprey Gunner, Pave Low Chopper and Air Strike. However, players can also choose the support killstreak package, which offers players support based bonuses like UAV, Counter UAV and Advanced UAV (Blackbird) – while these don’t do damage, the kill count does not reset should you die, so if you’re set up is 3 – 5 – 7, no matter how many times you die, as long as you get the kills you will unlock the bonuses. The final option is added perks when you gain a certain amount of kills. So if a player has already set 3 perks, he can choose 3 other perks that will activate mid battle should you gather 2 – 4 – 6 kills – these however, also reset just like your normal assault killstreaks. Each set up has its own advantage, if you think you’re good enough then you can try and earn the more powerful bonuses, other players will want to play a more team orientated game and thus support would fulfill that need nicely, while other players might consider having 6 perks activated is the most beneficial way to traverse the battlefield – whichever route you take, all are playable and enjoyable in their own way.

Now we’ve got that out of the way, let’s talk a little bit more about the multiplayer. Maps are generally smaller and you’ll find a lot more players play head on because there’s simply not enough room to camp, which is excellent. Perks have been refined and changed, some as usual are a lot more useful than others, but clearly Scavenger is considered the most advantageous, with it being unlocked at level 50! The weapons are all balanced, with the SCAR currently the most popular weapon of choice, as it hasn’t lost its punch from the last game. All the different game modes are present with the addition of Kill Confirmed, which requires you to kill an enemy then raid their body of the dog tag for bonus points – it’s an enjoyable game mode and one to check out should Team Deathmatch or your choice of game type gets boring after a while. As usual, there is so much stuff to unlock it’s unreal, weapon add-ons, camouflage, challenges, perks, killstreaks, emblems, titles, the psychology of hording stuff can certainly be attributed to Call of Duty. Whatever your feelings are towards Modern Warfare 3, it’s undeniable that Activision have created the perfect formula for hooking gamers into their world – before I even knew it I was level 45 and I had the game for 3 days, it really is mad but you can’t help playing, it really is that incredible.

From a technical perspective Modern Warfare 3 doesn’t really stand out all that much and is probably where Battlefield 3 will be the victor. The graphical engine has been improved slightly but it’s still the same game effectively and I find quite a lot of the maps online are very dark and it’s difficult to see anything. The audio on the other hand, is spot on as always, there’s nothing like hiding from an AC130 reigning down holy thunder on the map as everyone cowers in fear. As always the controls are precise and from my experience, the matchmaking on both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 is pretty spot on.

There you have it, another installment in the series and another small step forward. Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 doesn’t need to change its formula, it doesn’t need to do something new, it just needs to keep bringing back the same winning system and ensuring it’s better than before.

9.0 | Gameplay |

Once you get that first kill be in whichever game mode, you won’t be able to stop. This is FPS doing what it does best, bringing the action in abundance.

8.0 | Presentation |

Not the best looking game but certain environments looks great and the audio is superb.

10 | Replay Value |

There is no other modern console title that holds greater replay value than Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3. It is impossible to stop and when you Prestige, you just want to unlock everything all over again.

9 | Final Thoughts |

I’m not a huge believer in Call of Duty campaigns, but can fully agree with the multiplayer being phenomenal. However, the addition of Special Ops Survival to an already engaging game mode from Modern Warfare 2 really rounded off this package for me. This is more than just online multiplayer, there’s something here for everyone wanting to play with friends on the sofa, online or by themselves – whatever you want, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 can provide.

Igor Kharin