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STACK Issue 71 (Aug'10)
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STACK Magazine Online .: Your DVD & Game Guide to What's Hot In-Store :.
STACK Magazine .: Games Previews :.
  Latest Games Previews
Mafia 2
Release: Aug 27, 2010
 · out now · 
It has been a long time between drinks, but the follow up to Mafia, released way back in 2002, is here. The time scale has moved on in the game too, with the action now focused on the late ‘40s to early ‘50s. Mafia II is set in the fictional Empire Bay, with players taking... more
Kane + Lynch 2: Dog Days
Release: Aug 19, 2010
 · out now · 
IO Interactive dip their big toe into the Kane & Lynch universe again after being more than a little burnt the first time around. The strength in the original game lay in its lead characters; the unpredictable chemistry between Kane & Lynch was a win for gamers who don’t... more
U-Sing Girls Night Out
Release: Jun 24, 2010
STACK has been known to holler the occasional warbler in front of the telly once suitably lubricated, and this was very much the case here. Of course, U-Sing Girls Night isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, although the game’s point of difference is that it is the first singing-based... more
Dragon Quest IX: Sentinel of the Starry Skies
Release: Aug 19, 2010
 · out now · 
The ninth Dragon Quest title finally arrives on Australian shores with the quality assurance that four million Japanese gamers have already jumped onboard and enjoyed it. Overseen by long time Dragon Quest designer Yüji Horii, the latest in the series is far more than your... more
Madden NFL 11
Release: Aug 12, 2010
 · out now · 
Madden 11, the 22nd installment in the series, is about to touch down. This year’s annual offering from EA was on display at E3, and while visually it looked very similar to its previous incarnation, there have been some major gameplay changes. The emphasis on the demonstration... more
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Release: Jul 01, 2010
Finally, Australian gamers get their hands on the hottest title yet released on the Wii. Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the follow up to the fabulous Super Mario Galaxy, released back in 2007. SMG2 is arguably the best title on the platform, pushing the imagination of Miyamoto... more
Singularity
Release: Jun 30, 2010
Veteran games developer Raven Software return with Singularity, their first title since last year’s re-imagining of the classic first-person shooter, Wolfenstein. This sci-fi first-person shooter isn’t the first game to incorporate time manipulation, but it does present... more
Crackdown 2
Release: Jul 08, 2010
 · out now · 
The access code for Crackdown came as part of the Halo 3 multiplayer test in 2007, indicating a measure of hesitation on Microsoft’s behalf. The game sold 1.6 million copies in the first six months. The run, gun and drive third-person shooter gets a sequel this month, returning... more
Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty
Release: Jul 27, 2010
 · out now · 
When Blizzard Entertainment released its RTS sci-fi classic in 1998, it’s doubtful that they envisaged that StarCraft would become so popular – especially in countries like South Korea, where players are media personalities and live games are broadcast on three television... more
Singstar: Chart Hits
Release: Jul 01, 2010
Love your pop? Well, this is probably for you then. SingStar has been providing a tracheotomy for the PlayStation 2 for years now and this latest injection of formaldehyde to the console features a plethora of titles pulled, as the name suggests, from the charts. Of course,... more
Transformers: War For Cybertron
Release: Jun 25, 2010
For the Transformers fan, their video games have rarely delivered the goods. Not too dissimilar to the movie franchise, the potential remains untapped. Maybe that is set to change with High Moon Studios’ War for Cybertron. Free from the restrictive shackles of a Hollywood... more
Naughty Bear
Release: Jun 24, 2010
It’s not everyday that you see a teddy bear brandishing a carving knife. Or a baseball bat. Or a gun. Yes, this is Naughty Bear, where convention is left by the wayside and every child’s worst nightmare comes true. Set on an island known as Perfection, a population of... more
Lego Harry Potter
Release: Jun 30, 2010
Just what it is that’s so compelling about LEGO video games is hard to pinpoint, but the latest to feature the most famous building blocks in the world centre around the early adventures of junior wizard Harry Potter. As the title suggests, the game is based on events from... more
Pure Football
Release: May 25, 2010
Looking to fit in somewhere between the FIFA and Pro Evo juggernauts is Ubisoft’s new IP, Pure Football. Launching at an opportune time (the World Cup et al), Pure Football is a very different kettle of fish. Forget the sim approach of the big two and think more along the... more
Backbreaker
Release: May 27, 2010
EA have pretty much ruled the roost in the sphere of gridiron with their license-endorsed juggernaut Madden, leaving little or no room for challengers. Enter Backbreaker, a demo of which has being doing the rounds for a couple of years at E3 to emphasise software company,... more
Iron Man 2
Release: Apr 29, 2010
It’s time for more mechanical mayhem Marvel-style, as Iron Man returns in a spectacular superhero sequel. Inspired by the new blockbuster film starring Robert Downey Jr., Iron Man 2: The Video Game offers a thrilling new storyline which sees our hero face-off against a ruthless... more
Alan Wake
Release: May 20, 2010
Inspired by edge of the seat TV shows like Twin Peaks and Lost, not to mention tearing a few pages out of Stephen King’s books; Alan Wake is a story about a horror author suffering writer’s block. When Alan and his wife go on vacation in the idyllic town of Bright Falls,... more
Red Dead Redemption
Release: May 21, 2010
The good news is that if you didn’t play the original Red Dead Revolver on PS2, you won’t need to back track to pick up the story in Red Dead Redemption; they’re completely unrelated. The bad news is you missed out on playing a superb Wild West shooter. With every new Rockstar... more
UFC Undisputed 2010
Release: May 27, 2010
Foregoing the over-the-top theatrics of WWE in favour of in-your-face mixed martial arts combat, developer Yukes deliver an action-packed sequel to their critically acclaimed UFC Undisputed 2009. The Ultimate Fighting Championship is a no-holds barred competition that sees... more
ModNation Racers
Release: May 20, 2010
Following the audacious and innovative Little Big Planet, where creative gamers were given the tools to create their own 2D platform games, comes the customisable ModNation Racers. Essentially Sony’s current-gen entry into the kart racing market, ModNation has one major... more
Split/Second: Velocity
Release: May 20, 2010
Black Rock Studios were the developers behind the superb ATV racer Pure, a game that was critically well received yet failed to sell. Split/Second is Hollywood wrapped up in a frenetic arcade racer, where the cinematic action is delivered head-on. Players, competing in... more
Skate 3
Release: May 13, 2010
In recent years, EA’s Skate series of video games has stolen much of Tony Hawk’s thunder when it comes to skating video games. Hawk’s somewhat dubious deck controller from Ride didn’t do him any favours and he hasn’t been able to get his groove back in the skating arena. Rather... more
Blur
Release: May 26, 2010
When it comes to “pedal to the metal” arcade racers, Bizarre Creations have loads of street cred under their belts. They’re the developers behind the highly successful Project Gotham franchise, and now, they’re taking racing in an explosive new direction. Blur is an arcade... more
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle
Release: May 27, 2010
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle is set three years on from its excellent predecessor released in 2007. No More Heroes was the perfect lesson in how to extract as much adult entertainment potential on the Wii as possible. Travis Touchdown returns, armed with his beam... more
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
Release: May 20, 2010
It’s been over 20 years since the Prince first appeared in his original adventure – and he’s come a long, long way since his 2D side-scrolling platform origins. Jordan Mechner’s Prince of Persia has long been considered a true classic, having appeared on PC and countless... more
Resonance of Fate
Release: Mar 25, 2010
When it comes to JRPGs (Japanese Role Playing Games), the Final Fantasy series is a towering behemoth so epic in stature that it dwarfs almost every other title in the genre. It’s a shame, particularly when countless numbers of these titles (often offering unique experiences)... more
Splinter Cell: Conviction
Release: Apr 29, 2010
It’s been almost eight years since Sam Fisher first began his career in the Splinter Cell series of stealth/action video games. Quiet, composed, and deadly, Sam quickly became a legendary covert operative successfully completing four sequels worth of thrilling, edge-ofthe-... more
Yakuza 3
Release: Mar 11, 2010
The Japanese Mafia (aka the Yakuza) have been the subject of countless flicks, from the ultra-violent and over-the-top Japanese excesses of Takashi Miike (Ichi the Killer, Fudoh, Gozu, Dead or Alive trilogy), to the cheesy Hollywood B-grade action epics like Showdown in... more
Dead to Rights: Retribution
Release: Apr 23, 2010
To coin one of the biggest clichés of the big dumb action flicks from the ‘80s, Jack Slade is a good cop having a bad day. Some of you may remember the original Dead to Rights and its lacklustre sequel from the days of Xbox and PS2, but this next-gen re-boot of the... more
Just Cause 2
Release: Apr 01, 2010
The original Just Cause was a mindlessly entertaining, if flawed, first attempt at a free-roaming action title. While it lacked polish, it still showed plenty of promise and left punters hoping for a second dose of the gravity-defying aerial stunts (using the game’s trademark... more
Issue 71
(Aug'10)
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