Games Reviews

Topspin 3, Battlefield: Bad Company, Civilization Revolution, EchoChrome

Topspin 3 (Rated 4/ 5 )

The third outing of this tennis game differs from its predecessors in that it’s a much trickier beast. Before, Topspin was known for its pick-up-and-playability, but now gamers need to put a lot more time in if they want to reach centre court. This might be something of a shock for those used to the more approachable charms of Topspin’s arch-rival, Virtua Tennis, but it makes for a more challenging and subsequently more satisfying title. Looks-wise, this game is hard to beat with scarily realistic players, shiny with even scarier sweat. An enjoyable serving of technical tennis.

Battlefield: Bad Company (Rated 4/ 5 )

Known for its intense combat, it’s fair to say that the Battlefield series revels in wanton destruction. That’s especially true of the latest offering, Bad Company (right),which throws players into a relentless world of warzone after warzone, each with fully destroyable environments and packed with enemy combatants waiting to take you out. The single-player campaign is all very well, but where this game really shines is in the online multiplayer section. The basic idea is to log on, load up and shoot the hell out of anything that crosses your path. Sophisticated it’s not, but solidly explosive it sure is.

Civilization Revolution (Rated 4/ 5 )

Here's a welcome console makeover of Sid Meier’s epic, world-conquering extravaganza. Its evolution from the PC to the PS3 et al has made Civilization Revolution more accessible than before and it’s been boosted by extra features, such as easily downloadable features, cool online play and voice and vision chat. As ever, gamers get to play God, making decisions that will have world shattering consequences. It might not be pretty, but it sure is fun.

EchoChrome (Rated 3/ 5 )

Originally a downloadable title for the PS3, this simple yet stylish game takes its inspiration from the mind-bending works of the artist MC Escher. It’s new to the PSP, and its monochrome, line-based graphics take some getting used to after the highdef, colourful games that are the norm, as does the gameplay, which involves shifting the camera’s perspective to manoeuvre through optical illusions. As the game progresses, levels get tougher and the time limit decreases, meaning this bad boy soon becomes very complex indeed. A treat.