Excerpt from the diary of Briareos Kerensky, newly appointed angler of the Oceanography Institute.
Day 1. I don't usually write diaries, but I've decided to see for how long I can keep this up...not to mention this new job, I don't particularly care about fishing in any kind of incarnation, but there are no fixed hours or minimum time requirements. Got to meet my partners for this job today and they explained my tasks. We've got a supervisor from the institute, the ship's captain, an...

The Legend of Stafi Trilogy tells the tale of a chirpy yellow starfish that spends his time helping out the local seabed community: he finds their lost items, he fights off bullies and he plays games with them. The story is almost sickeningly wholesome; one that is obviously designed to be suitable for young children but don’t let that fool you. Although the games are designed for kids their control, level design and puzzles make them more than playable for adults too.
The Legend of St...

Gal Gun is a light gun style game developed by Inti Creates which originally debuted on the Xbox360 in January 2011, with a PS3 version following one year after. Both titles remained the only ones available only in Japan till now. For the series’ 10th anniversary, Inti Creates, also celebrating their 25th anniversary, produced Gal Gun Returns, a remake featuring updated graphics and new game mode. This is a review of Gal Gun Returns.

All Gal Guns start with you, the main charac...

“Be careful what you wish for – it might just come true!” goes the old saying. This is normally delivered as a precautionary measure, usually to a miscreant child or in hushed tones by an elderly, sage-like relative. The thing is though, as a 26-year-old man who has just had one wish granted and two or three more nailed on in the coming months, I am inclined to continue wishing, and hedging my bets. This is because, around a year or two ago ,after rediscovering my passion for gaming, I asked...

Before E3 2006, it seemed that most people had forgotten Jump Super Stars. Close to a year after a flurry of reports from various media outlets about its stellar launch in Japan, the game had suddenly become almost invisible among the videogame community and the media – especially in the West. Admittedly, despite the globalisation of the games market, Japan-only games usually remain in relative obscurity – even in the quirky DS import market, the success of Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan! notwithstanding....

Shutokou Battle X is set within the counterculture of illegal street racing on and around Tokyo's Shuto expressways, and although fairly unique on the 360, this is actually the tenth game in the Shutokou Battle series (hence the "X" in the title). It has to be said that Genki have taken something of a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach for the next-gen debut of the series. Indeed, when compared with the previous PS2 release (Shutokou Battle 01), some elements have actually regressed - the...

It had to be Rockstar. Not content with creating the leading franchise of the PS2 generation. Not content with corrupting entire continents with media-perceived filth and just plain, utter evilness. Not even content with building sand castles in the gaming landscape, they just had to go and take on the sporting world.
Not any old sport either, they had to pick one which the majority of us last experienced at our local youth clubs many moons ago. A sport which gets a few scant minutes of co...

What were you doing at midnight last night? Sleeping, perhaps? TV? Gaming? It’s probably fair to say that you weren’t experiencing the Dark Hour - a time occurring at midnight which only a few people are aware of. During this time, normal folk are safely enclosed in their coffins, while those that are able to move freely are fighting for everyone’s very lives against the Shadows. Right into the middle of this is where Silent Protagonist 3 finds himself thrust.
Shin Megami Tensei: Perso...

Poke and slash - is it a new genre? The Nintendo DS has certainly brought forth a number of unique gameplay styles -*cough* Doki Doki Majo Shinpan*cough* - and Blood of Bahamut might be a little late to the table. The story is about a group of people forced away from their homes as the very land underneath their feet has come back to life. The question of why they live atop giant monsters in the first place is one that doesn't get answered. In order to reclaim their homes they have to silence the...

Saturday
12:13pm
Having decided to get myself a pet, I ordered a "Sea Man" Dreamcast kit, guaranteed to give its owner an actual living talking creature. Arriving at the local post office mid-morning, I employed my usual routine of brandishing a tea towel whilst yelping in a high pitch so as to avoid import tax. It worked as always, this time being kicked only once as I left.
The box containing my future friend was unusually small, conjuring up horrid childhood memories of wh...