Sniper: Ghost Warrior - Scope: Very Limited

Publisher: City Interactive
Genre: First Person Shooter
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360

My Rating: ★★

Screenshots:

Review:
Catering to the perenially-unsated appetite for FPS games, Sniper: Ghost Warrior presents itself as an exciting option for those who feel the rush being a elite, silent and deadly sniper. Unfortunately the deadly sniper has issues, not of the psychological variety, but of the "how-the-heck-can-any-sane-person-play-this-game" variety.

Built on a Chrome 4 engine, the game feautures breathtaking visuals of lush environments. However, the visuals are slightly marred by block-like shadows and pixellation at times. The highlight of the game however is the sniping mechanism. This feature is highly developed allowing for gauging your shot on factors like wind, gravity and even your own breathing. The bullet cam mode also allows for the satisfaction of following your bullet from the barrel into your unfortunate victim.

The positives unfortunately end there. The gameplay can be best described as 'clunky'. The enemy AI varies from retarded to psychic; ignoring you in plain sight at times and killing you with impossible accuracy at unreal ranges at others. The game negatives go on, but a rather irrelevant aspect that irked me like hell was the abysmal grammar in the voiceovers and loading screens. No, I cannot get in the mood for saving a banana republic when you display an obvious need for refresher courses in English 101.

All in all, Sniper: Ghost Warrior may be something a hardcore FPS junkie may find some joy in, but the rest of you out there aren't missing much if you skip this title. Not recommended.

Pros

• Good visuals
• Excellent sniping mechanism
• Beautiful bullet cam

Cons

• Wildly unreliable AI
• Buggy and frustrating gameplay
• Developers require grammar lessons

Waiting to hear your gaming experiences with Sniper: Ghost Warrior in the comments section. Feedback for the review is highly appreciated.

FIFA 10 - Football realism to the next level

Publisher: EA Sports
Genre: Sports
Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, PSP, iOS, Java ME

My Rating: ★★★★ + 1/2

Screenshots:

Review

A highly anticipated successor of the hugely popular EA Sports series, FIFA 10 does not disappoint in the slightest. With an improved gameplay engine, breathtaking graphics and several exciting new modes, FIFA 10 is an brilliant addition to the sports genre titles of 2010.
A notable new feature of FIFA 10 is the evolution of the 'Be a Pro' mode. You are given control of a single player's career where you play his position, develop his career and skills with the aim of making him his club's and country's captain. The career mode in FIFA 10 has also seen a marked increase in realism in scenario reactions. The simulation engine now has more plausible emulations with non-random results of matches. Players are also rotated in and out of the playing 11 based on their form, fatigue and match importance.
The real treat in FIFA 10 are the graphics. Playing it on a 720p HD display is a spectacle. Vast, detailed stadiums, the lush or damp grass, depending on the weather, player movement and detail have raised the bar for visual realism for sports based games from now on end.
The negatives in FIFA 10 are largely in the 'Be a Pro' mode. The lack of a simulation option makes the journey through a season monotonous and laboured. Also in-game player-tracking in the mode is difficult even with the 'Be a pro' camera angle.
However, these do no take away from the excellent execution of FIFA 10. Another highly recommended title.

Pros

• Strong gameplay engine
• Breathtaking graphics and exhaustive player detail
• Improved game modes
• Addictive local and online multiplayer

Cons

• Lack of simulation in the 'Be a pro' mode
• Restrictive camera angles in the same mode

Waiting to hear your gaming experiences with FIFA 10 in the comments section. Feedback for the review is highly appreciated.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 - Beautifully Badass

Publisher: Electronic Arts
Genre: First Person Shooter
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

My Rating: ★★★★★

Screenshots:

Review

A new installment of the EA's hugely successful Battlefield series, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 comes up as yet another addition to the crowded genre of FPS games. But it quickly makes (rather blows up) a niche for itself in the category and assumes the role of the forerunner for the genre for the year 2010.
The awesomeness of Bad Company 2 begins in the total destructibility of the environment. Hit anything from a wall to an entire building with enough firepower, you will be able to reduce it a pile of smoking rubble. Have a fierce fire-fight with your friends in semi-urban Russia and you will be stalking through a dusty haze of flying bricks and crumbling concrete.
Another highlight is the realism that Bad Company 2 brings to your gaming experience. Gone are the pixellated walls and predictable mazes we have become used to in the Counter-strike clones. The battle in this FPS has shifted to a rainy South American rainforest or a freezing Russian snowstorm. The sound design is amazingly detailed and complements the visual elements to make you almost feel the cold metal in your hands.
The only disappointment is the extremely brief single player campaign which seems to finish right when you begin having fun. But the multiplayer campaign addictiveness factor is off the charts.
All in all, BFBC2 is a treat and a half for anyone who swears by FPS. Highly recommended

Pros

• Magnificent environment destructibility
• Audio-visual treat
• Solid gameplay design
• Strong multiplayer mode

Cons

• Extremely brief single-player mode

Let me know your gaming experiences with Battlefield: Bad Company 2. Feedback for the review will be highly appreciated.