The Death of the Online Pass: EA's failed experiment

The Death of the Online Pass: EA's failed experiment

The concept of an Online Pass was unthinkable when I was a child. Heck, online gaming was probably a glint in a programmers eye, a dream yet to be achieved. Fast-forward the 15 or so years I've been gaming and the landscape has changed to the point where games are unrecognisable in some respects.

Online functionality is common in most games and for many is the most important component. Who wants to race against the AI in Need For Speed or Burnout? As with most games, multiplayer is just more fun.

Certain franchises rely on their online multiplayer for sales, COD, Battlefield, FIFA, Street Fighter, all of these massive brands would suffer huge hits in sales if people could no longer play online. Some games are now sold as online only, such as the SOCOM series on PS3, (whose online support is ending in January 2014) (1) which will leave many with a game that can't be played. (To be fair, that's probably a good thing, the SOCOM games are terrible.)

The people that paid for the game will hardly be happy and I'm sure there's a hardcore fanbase that still play the titles, but I suppose servers being shut down after a large period of time is something we have to deal with as gamers. It costs a lot to keep a game online and sometimes nobody even plays it.

I've been on a few "dead" online servers in the past. I was trophy-hunting in Red Faction: Armageddon and needed to do something online so I searched for a lobby, only to be informed that there was nobody online. Nobody. That was depressing.

The concept of an Online Pass is even more depressing. At worst it could be seen as a desperate money grab, yet another way to get into the wallet of the consumer. At best, it could be seen as a power struggle between developers and retailers, with the consumer bearing the brunt of the trouble.

Some companies such as Rockstar and Treyarch decided to ignore this route, offering free online play for all that purchased their games, while EA, (who recently received their second 'worst company in America award') (2) decided to attach an online pass to every game they released. 

Personally, the Online Pass was just a step too far. I buy second-hand games regularly so I flat-out refused to buy any game that has one. Until EA went into damage limitation mode and stopped this ridiculous charade, I hadn't played great titles such as Battlefield 3 and FIFA 13 purely on principal. 

Here is a link of all the games that EA have taken down in the past few years. At the rate in which EA disposes of online play for old titles, buying an online pass for one of their titles just wouldn't have been worth it.

It was obvious that EA was especially keen on making the online pass work for financial reasons, so I think it's a good thing that their ideas were shot down before it became more commonplace in the games market.

In 2010 EA Senior Vice-President of Worldwide development Andrew Wilson defended the online pass, saying " we think it's fair to get paid for the services we provide and to reserve these online services for people who pay EA to access them." (3)

Well Andrew, you were wrong. You meant you thought it was fair to get paid multiple times for the services you provide. Well, not fair, but that you would get away with it.

He also said "with Online Pass everyone has access to the same premium online services and content regardless of how and where you buy the game".

Well, that's pretty much how it works without an online pass so thanks, but no thanks.

Three years on, the senior director of corporate communications John Reeseberg has said [the online pass] "is dead", with "no change to the decision to discontinue Online Pass" (4) despite the PS4 and Xbox One offering anti-second hand game restrictions on their consoles at the publishers discretion.

The official explanation is that EA listened to their customers and then came to the decision to stop the Online Pass. If EA are known for one thing, it certainly isn't their customer care so maybe the weight of the backlash threatened to affect future sales (and their wallets) so they decided to go into damage limitation mode, scrapping the plan for good.

This great article discusses the financial implications of EA's decision. Of EA's $495m Q1 takings, a massive $177m was made simply through add-on content for online games such as Star Wars:The Old Republic and FIFA 13's ultimate team, with the $37m made from direct game downloads a drop in the ocean in comparison. So, It would seem that the only reason EA is changing tack on the Online Pass issue is the pursuit of the mighty $ which shouldn't really surprise anyone.

With so much DLC available for most games, (as well as questionable partnerships with products such as Doritos for some well-known titles)  I hope the market doesn't veer ever closer to a model in which endless, pointless DLC is churned out in the hope the gamer spends money on 'micro-transactions'.

I guess we can't have it both ways, but for now I'm happy that the Online Pass is no more.

RIP Christian Benitez: The Issue at the Heart of Football

RIP Christian Benitez: The Issue at the Heart of Football

RIP Christian Benitez

The world of football was shaken yesterday as news broke of the shock passing of former Birmingham striker Christian 'Chucho' Benitez at the tender age of 27.

Benitez had recently signed a deal with Qatari side El Jaish SC and had just completed his  his début for the club when he 'was admitted to hospital with severe stomach pains'.

Soon after, he passed away, the latest in a long line of footballers that have died on the pitch due to heart failure.

Just this year, at least five other professional players have died whilst playing football and they've all suffered from either direct heart-attacks, or complications that arise from issues relating to the heart.

Take the sad case of 18 year old Yair Clavijo. The Peruvian was playing a reserve game for Sporting Cristal just eight days before Benitez's death, when he collapsed on the field and died of "cerebral edema, caused by an underlying heart condition".

The story becomes even sadder when you learn that the heart disease that affected the young player could have been detected by a simple electrocardiogram, which is "one of the most widely used tests in cardiology".

Cases like these happen more frequently than most football fans would imagine. For another example, take the case of former Croatia U-21 midfielder Alen Pamic, who died on the same day as Clavijo.

The 23 year old was playing in a small scale recreational game for MNK Maruzini, when he suddenly collapsed and died. The cause of death was a cardiac arrest.

The rigours of modern professional football mean that the slightest heart condition could be fatal and most players work so hard that they aren't even safe during training. For the last example, (remember these have all happened in the past two months, June/July 2013) we come to the case of Sekou Camara.

Camara was a Malian striker, who died of a heart attack whilst training with his teammates in Bandung, Indonesia. In a stark contrast to the other examples, he was aged 27 when he died, just like Christian Benitez.

Each of these deaths could have been prevented with proper medical testing and they show just how much of a walking miracle Fabrice Muamba actually is. The former England U-21 survived heart failure on the pitch and subsequently recovered, although he retired from football after listening to medical advice.

As football continues to grow around the world, yet more clubs, leagues and players are going to pop up across the globe. 

At Grassroots level, we cant expect clubs to vet every player and provide full medicals and heart checks, but at professional levels FIFA and other relevant bodies need to ensure that proper checks are done on players who may be at risk.

We can see that age isn't a factor and problems can arise with little to no warning, which must be scary for current players who haven't been checked out properly. Although some would argue that football has become overly commercialised, at the end of the day, football is light entertainment that is often attended by families and especially children, who shouldn't be subject to the trauma of witnessing one of their heroes pass away in front of them.

Other factors should be taken into account to see if there are other ways this worrying trend can be curbed. Those with a history of illness in their family should be checked straight away, games played at high altitudes should be given special attention as players could be more at risk and the temperature factor can affect players in more ways than simple fatigue.

For many players football is everything, but some are forced to pay the ultimate price for light entertainment. In an age of cheap, affordable medical care in most of the world, they really shouldn't have to.

Should West Ham Sign Kalou?

 Should West Ham Sign Kalou?

It's been reported that West Ham are interested in the former Chelsea attacker Salomon Kalou who is said to "keen" to make a move away from Lille after just one season at the French club.

He received a mixed reception during his time at Chelsea but the deal could prove to be a shrewd piece of business for Hammers manager Sam Allardyce, as he would be gaining a player with vast experience who played a pivotal role in Chelsea’s Champions League winning season in 2012.

Kalou signed for Chelsea in 2006 but never seemed to live up to the heights of his natural talent and could go missing during his time at the Bridge, but still managed to play at least 20 games a season for the Blues until the 2011-12 season.

Known for his pace and trickery, his return of only 36 goals in 156 games for Chelsea is disappointing by any forwards standards and if signed, Allardyce must hope that he can emulate his earlier goal-scoring form in the Netherlands with a much more impressive 39 goals in 80 appearances, just one goal away from a 1/2 goal to game ratio.

During his time at Lille last season he managed to rediscover his old form, finding the net 14 times in 28 appearances in the league, which is the second best return of his career, (and as many goals as his first two seasons at Chelsea).

It remains to be seen whether or not Kalou has what it takes to replicate his return to goal-scoring form in the EPL, but he knows the league very well from his time here and West Ham isn’t too far away from Chelsea, so he would probably have no trouble settling into the Hammers squad.

 Despite both parties seemingly interested in the deal, reports suggest that Big Sam doesn't want to play Kalou in his preferred spot down the middle which could be a major point of contention.

Statistics would suggest that Kalou still has goals in him and at 27 should be entering top form, but new signing Andy Carroll would probably lead the line ahead of him.

With co-owner David Sullivan saying "a proven goalscorer" is a priority for the Hammers, Kalou would be a major gamble that would probably cost a lot in wages. Whatever happens, I hope Kalou can continue to play down the middle and get the goals that strikers need for confidence.

Civilization V: Brave New World review

Civilization V: Brave New World review

Civilization V wasn't the first title I had played in the well-loved turn-based series, but it’s definitely the one I played for the longest. The new expansion improves on an already impressive core game to add many hours of extra gameplay, even for hardened veterans.

When Civilization V released in 2010 the new interface and hex-based system drew me in straight away and I spent millennia (in-game of course) trying out different leaders and routes to victory. The game received critical praise and deservedly so, the core gameplay is addictive and most importantly, great fun to play.

After countless battles I had exhausted my interest in the game and I longed for more, so the expansions seemed like the next logical conclusion, though I’m usually wary concerning DLC. Often, DLC is used as an excuse to print money, but Brave New World seems to buck the trend. It has some features of traditional DLC, adding an extra 9 Civs and several new units, but goes the extra mile by expanding on the core gameplay with features that complement the vanilla title, just like the previous expansion; Gods and Kings.

Some of the features completely change the way you might play the game. Take the trade routes for example. Previously, I may have attacked an aggressive, expansive rival civ, but now the economic factor really has to be taken into account, even more so at later stages in the game when money becomes more readily available.

I’ve found myself weighing up options more carefully and in some ways it helps the game to echo real-world diplomacy as economic factors have to be accounted for, no matter the crimes of the enemy or how much of a threat they may pose in the future.

The extended roster of Civs and city states means that fighting has improved, nearly every skirmish will be different and you don’t have to deal with the same old leaders again and again as it could end up getting really repetitive.

Getting real tired of you Caesar.. 

Tourism is a good idea but it didn’t seem to affect me too much during my time in-game, for me it was just another thing to keep track of and never really affected the final outcome, though if I had paid it proper attention I’m sure it would have been rewarding in the long run as the culture system has been completely revamped and tourism seems to be instrumental for a culture victory.

The addition of a World Congress founded before the more traditional UN helps more diplomatic leaning players and the AI has been brushed up to be less inclined to mindless violence with little to no warning.

Of the new Civs, I liked Morocco as their special talent ‘Gateway to Africa’ (which adds extra gold and culture for trade routes) was very useful when combined with the new trade route system and Venice is a completely different way to play, as they’re unable to spawn settlers so have to expand differently, with added trade routes to help compensate. Also, Poland especially is a very good rival Civ and always seems to survive until the modern era in my games.

Scenarios are always a fun way to play the single-player game and BNW doesn’t disappoint, with the American Civil War and the ‘Scramble for Africa’ added for even more hours of gameplay, covering big events in (fairly) recent world history.

In short, the game has improved in many ways and I really don’t have any problems with it. I enjoyed the core game immensely but the expansion simply blows it out of the water.

GTA5 is probably going to win nearly every GOTY award going in 2013 and I know Civilization 5 came out in 2010, but so far Brave New World is my game of 2013 and I have no plans to stop playing anytime soon, (or at least until GTA5 comes out).

Score: 9/10

Is Facebook evil?

Is Facebook evil?

Facebook is the undisputed champion of the social networking site, seeing off the challenge of lesser brands such as Myspace and Bebo and adapting to new threats like Twitter whilst maintaining a healthy influx of new users daily.

They have a reported (1) 1.11 billion users and despite some signs of the juggernaut finally starting to slow down, Facebook still has a massive reach and has a massive database filled to the brim with user information.

The early 2000's may be viewed as a different age in terms of social media. Maybe, as a society, we were too naive in entrusting corporation's with so much of our personal information.

It must have been the market research sectors dream come true. En masse we began to input our favourite films and stars, our friends, a whole online portfolio that could be accessed by anyone with the know-how.

Not that any sort of subterfuge was needed, Facebook are more than happy to sell your personal information on to marketing companies. (2) The linked article talks about how Facebook "will be targeting members information more closely" including "using your iPhone location services" (3) which is worrying on many levels.

Who would want that information and for what purpose? More to the point, do Facebook have a right to sell that information? Legally, they probably do but that is to be expected whenever you sign a draconian user agreement.

Never mind the marketing aspect, what about the intelligence agencies that actively monitor Facebook like the NSA (4) who can get "direct access" to everything that Facebook has on you?

Invasion of privacy via social media has come to be expected and people should rightly be more guarded about what they say on social media. As more employers use social media to learn more about prospective employees, profiles will become ever faker, a veneer used to disguise anything that may 'compromise' a person.

Hopefully people have learnt their lesson (although a quick scan through FB and common sense tell me that some people will never learn) and people will have to learn to get by without using social media numerous times a day.

If FB was a friend, it would be a terrible person, someone people would ask you not to associate with. It would constantly talk about you behind your back and constantly try to sell you stuff.

Facebook will eventually cease to be relevant as all things have to come to an end eventually. I just hope that the 'great strides' it made in violating it's users personal information isn't capitalised upon and taken further by the 'next big thing'.

As people become more savvy in the digital age, companies will probably stoop to lower depths to gain an advantage over the consumer. They will probably never stop seeing us as products to be collected and sold on, but as a whole we could end the company tomorrow simply by logging off and keeping it that way.

Maybe they would do well to remember that.

Match Report: Indonesia v Chelsea

Match Report: Chelsea easy winners against Indonesia All-Stars

Chelsea took on the BNI Indonesia All-Stars in their first ever match on Indonesian soil and Demba Ba was given a chance to stake his claim to lead the line for the Blues this season, with the team lined up in a classic Mourinho 4-3-3 formation.

Chelsea dominated the early exchanges of the game, with Eden Hazard converting a well-won penalty by John Terry to make it 1-0 after 20 minutes. Hazard coolly slotted the ball into the bottom right corner after sending the keeper the wrong way, with the All-Stars number 23 guilty of a desperate lunge on Terry.

After that, the floodgates opened as the All-Stars goal was peppered with shots from nearly every outfield Chelsea player, but it was Ramires that finally added the second after Chelsea hit the post twice through Chalobah and Wallace.

Ramires thumped his effort into the roof of the net after a smart turn in the box, leaving the keeper with no chance and the All-Stars 2-0 down after 29 minutes.

It took just two more minutes for Chelsea to effectively kill the tie, as Demba Ba latched onto Ramires' deflected shot to make it 3-0, as Chelsea started to turn on the style.

Chelsea eased off the pressure after that, with Hazard attempting to embarrass then keeper rather than finish the chance off in the 37th, but the keeper made amends by snatching the ball back off his toe.

They still managed to snatch a forth, as Gary Cahill and Terry combined to head home a forth just before the whistle went for half time.

Chelsea made several substitutions after half time as they attempt to get the squad match fit, but it was still hardly a second-string side with new signing Mark Schwarzer making an assured appearance between the sticks, despite the lack of quality chances for the opposition.

Chelsea's fifth was a sublime effort from Bertrand Traore in the 51st minute, his effort curled into the top corner leaving the keeper flat-footed. Lukaku replaced Ba to lead the line at half time and the promising striker added a sixth just 40 seconds after Traore with a glancing header across goal.  

The chances just kept on coming, Ramires smashed in a seventh after 56 minutes which underlined Chelsea's dominance of the game and marked a good showing by the Brazilian.

There was a ten minute lull as more substitutions settled in for the Blues, but normal business soon resumed as Lucas Piazon set up Lukaku to finish his second of the game with a placed finish in the 66th minute.

There was some respite for the All Stars, as they scored a consolation goal three minutes after, but even then a Chelsea player scored, Tomas Kalas unfortunate to slot the ball into his own net after some good work down the wings by the All-Stars. 

In the end, Chelsea could have scored many more, but eight was enough on the night. They will be disappointed to have conceded but it was still a very good win.

It was great to see Essien and Terry looking assured in the Chelsea line-up and the players duly delivered on the easy win that most expected. There will undoubtedly be harder tests during their pre-season such as the game against Inter Milan, but you can only beat the team in front of you and today they did that easily.

 Younger players like Wallace and Traore have really impressed so far and it'd great to see them given a chance in the league, but with competition at the top so tight, it would be a massive leap of faith for Mourinho. 

Final Score (8-1)

Frank Lampard: The Legend

Frank Lampard: The Legend

The term 'legend' gets thrown about too frequently for my liking, but when it comes to Frank Lampard, I honestly think it applies.

The Chelsea midfielder has been prolific for the last ten years and recently signed a deserved 1-year extension to his contract after breaking the clubs all-time goals record with an astonishing 203 strikes.

He's one of my favourite players of all time and is recognised as one of the greats of the modern era. Even Sir Alex Ferguson said he regrets not signing the "unbelievable" (1) Lampard, which is a massive compliment for any player. 

Most people know about the all-time goalscoring record as it made big news when it happened but he still has his detractors, even as he signed a new deal there were a few murmurs from Chelsea fans saying it was 'time for him to move on' and that Oscar, Mata and others were more than ready to replace him.

Personally, I'm glad he signed on and I'm sure the majority of Chelsea fans would agree with me. It may be true that you're only as good as your next game, but Lampard has achieved some amazing things at Chelsea and his records speak for themselves.

Along with the Chelsea goals record, he also holds the record for most goals scored by a midfielder, (165) and Opta (the self-professed "world's leading sports data company") used "official stats" to cite Lampard as the EPL player of the decade.

Statistics don't always tell the full story. Lampard's consistency came to be second nature, it was his intelligent play, technique and longevity at the top that made him stand out from the crowd as the trophies started to roll in steadily.

Lampard always seems to come up with the goods for Chelsea and as the years have passed, he's adapted his game and captained the team to their famous Champions League victory, scoring important goals and assists, as well as smashing his penalty past Manuel Neuer in the final shoot-out. 

Every player has to leave eventually and maybe this season will be his swansong. Much is dependant on his fitness (which seems perfectly fine considering his age) and Mourinho's plans for him regarding the first XI.

He's shown no lack of appetite despite winning nearly everything at club level and may add a forth Premiership title depending on how the season goes, with bookies citing Chelsea and the Manchester clubs as favourites to win the league. 

Despite never winning anything with England's 'golden generation' and an apparent inability to play effectively with Steven Gerrard, (as well as the unwanted accolade of most shots without a goal in a World Cup tournament) he always gave his all in the England shirt, many people forget he was in the team of the tournament at Euro 2004, or that he's England's second highest goalscorer from midfield and ninth overall, (one goal behind joint sixth) with his 29 goals surpassed only by Bobby Charlton's return of 49.

Lampard is a Chelsea legend, without those goals and assists it may have been a completely differently story for the Blues in the last decade. In an era of expensive flops and inflated wages, the £11m fee paid for Lampard is one of the deals of the of the decade and he's more than paid his dues.

Whatever he decides to do after this season, he should rest easy in the knowledge that statistically, he was one of the best English players of his generation and the records will ensure he won't be forgotten in the years to come.

Dragon Age 2: the worst gaming sequels

Dragon Age 2: the worst gaming sequels

Dragon Age Origins, I loved that game. It's probably one of the few games of this generation that gave me genuine pleasure and I enjoyed it all the way through to the (admittedly buggy) finale. 

DA:O felt like an updated KOTOR, which was by no means a bad thing. There seemed to be a lack of quality RPG's around at the time (especially for the PS3) and DA:O more than filled the gap with its meaty story, fun gameplay, varied areas to explore and interesting characters.

So when the sequel was announced in 2010 I couldn't wait for it to release, but I really should have paid more attention to the news that began to trickle out from BioWare and various other sources.

Firstly, I just wanted to say that in its own right, DA2 isn't a terrible game. It has a variety of weaknesses, (that I will come to later) but underneath it all it has the basic framework of a good game. It has a decent storyline, a few good characters and a serviceable (if easy) combat system.

If it had been released as a standalone title than I'm sure I wouldn't dislike it so much, but my point is that DA:2 is a direct sequel to one of my favourite games of all time and it just didn't do it justice in my mind.

Now, I've spoken to quite a few people about DA:O and one of the main gripes seems to be the lacklustre graphics, which didn't bother me personally. EA and BioWare must have listened, as the sequel certainly looked 'prettier', but looks can be deceiving.

Wow.. Just wow.

DA:2 only had a years worth of development (compared to nearly seven years for the original) and it definitely shows. Some blame EA and others blame BioWare. I blame myself for buying the damn thing.

With only a year of development, they had to cut corners and in some places it's pretty obvious. The lack of variety when exploring the game is shameful and the reused areas have to be experienced to be believed. The main city of Kirkwall is bland and empty and the surrounding areas are somehow worse. The game then forces you to visit each area again several times so you can truly get to grips with how crappy and poorly made a lot of the game is.

The decision to use the Mass Effect style dialogue wheel was another gripe for me, because it made the game feel like a cheap rip-off and it felt like even less of a Dragon Age title. I wonder if the short development cycle had anything to do with this decision, but either way for me it was an unwelcome addition.

BioWare has a reputation for having good characters in their games and to give credit where it's due, Anders and Varric are interesting, multi-layered people with ambitions and drives that differ from the player.

The rest of the cast could be described as filler and some are worse than others. The 'sexualised pirate' Isabela and the 'slave with a vengeance' Fenris were particular low points for me, but worst of all was the 'DLC archer' Sebastian, who I honestly can't remember and I wouldn't recommend purchasing.

One of the main selling points for the game was how you take Hawke through a decade of his life, but the game lacks the epic scale of it's predecessor and a large chunk of the early game is spent doing side-missions for gold. The game does build up to a climatic ending that I didn't see coming, but in no way was it worth the asking price. 

Many of the main missions lack clout and the game usually follows the pattern of: Go to area-find mage- watch him change into abomination - kill mage - leave. Even when Hawke's mother dies, it still follows the same basic pattern.

The story does have its moments. The scene where Varric goes to confront Bartrand is funny and emotive at the same time. Gaining the Arishok's respect was interesting and it was good to learn more about the lore of the Qunari.

Untold hours must have been spent shaping the lore and world of Dragon Age, but DA2 doesn't really add to it as much as it could. With the great source material and more development time, DA2 could have added something special to the franchise, but at the moment it just leaves something to be desired.

The DA2 wikipedia page states that "During the pre-development of the game, Brent Knowles, a veteran lead designer who had been with BioWare for a decade and the central figurehead behind Dragon Age: Origins, decided to resign during the designing process of Dragon Age II and eventually left the company, stating "I'm not the same person I was when I started, and BioWare is not the same company."


Maybe this is key to why I didn't enjoy the game. It seems like they went for a different audience and in doing so, lost a lot of the hardcore fanbase of the original. The development cycle consigned DA2 to be a failure no matter what, but the endgame is even more stinky because it could have been so much more.

I realise I've been ranting for a nearly 1000 words now, so I'll start to wrap it up, but there's so much more to complain about.

Overall, DA2 was a regression. Aside from questionable graphical superiority, it pales in comparison to the game it was supposed to replace and it plays like an obvious beta. I used to (naively) trust BioWare, but after this I've learnt my lesson.

To their credit, BioWare seem to have listened and have promised for a better sequel. The development time for DA3 is said to be longer than Origins and one level in DA3 will be larger than the whole of DA2. To be fair, that wouldn't be hard to achieve.

It just annoys me that they know what a complete an utter turd DA2 was and they still released it to the public at full price. Stupidly, I bought it at launch and I can still remember being disappointed throughout the entire game.

I know some people love the game and that's fair enough. It's your decision to make. For me, DA2 is probably the worst gaming sequel of all time.



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Final Fantasy X HD Preview

Final fantasy X HD Preview

Final Fantasy X is probably my favourite PS2 RPG of all time so I was happy to hear that Square-Enix had decided to release a HD remake of the classic, but is it actually needed?

HD remakes are a license to print easy money, with many people buying copies of games they've owned previously as well as opening up titles for younger players who weren't around to experience it the first time.

The business model is heavily tilted in Squeenix's favour, as most PS3's wont play PS2 discs and old copies of FFX are getting harder to find, so if you want to play FFX on your PS3, you're forced to buy the shiny new HD remake/remaster.

So, what are the actual differences from the 2001 PS2 release? This article highlights the graphical differences which are to be expected but gameplay wise, there seems to be little to no difference.

The PS3 disc version will include the sequel: FFX-2 which is an added bonus (who doesn't like a free PS3 game?) but it doesn't really justify the large price for a 12+ year old game with decent graphical touch-ups.

Square have a history of charging large amounts for old software and they're certainly fans of the re-release, but many of their fans would have preferred a remaster of the PS1 epic, FF7.

This isn't to say that the new game isn't wanted, only that it could have been released sooner for a lower price as a PS2 classic, rather than a bundled HD remaster.

The remaster does include the dark aeons and other feature of the international version but that was the version that I (and many others) played originally, so can't really be included as new content.

FFX is a great game in its own right, with memorable characters, some great set pieces, a fun battle system and a true douchebag as your nemesis. I replayed the game for quite some time recently and it wasn't creaky, although some of the voice-acting was worse than I remembered (but it isn't really that bad).

Maybe I was a little biased due to 'rose-tinted spectacles' but I think it's the best turn-based RPG I've played since Lost Odyssey on the 360.

PS Vita owners will also be able to purchase the game and news of the release date is going to be 'released very soon'. However, It has been reported that the sequel will be sold separately on the handheld which is a disappointment for Vita owners.

Despite the lack of 'major' changes, interest for the game is high and the re-release will probably do well commercially. If you haven't played it I suggest you pick it up when it comes out as it really is a well-made game with over 40 hours of gameplay and it deserves the 92% rating on metacritic.

FFX does have some weird moments and some of the character development is laid on a little too thickly for my liking, but overall the game is fun, with decent ideas like the sphere grid and character switching mid-battle implemented well.

Non HD Version Score: 9/10

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5 Unlikely Football Transfer Rumours 2013

6 Unlikely Football Transfer Rumours 2013

With the transfer window in full swing, some clubs are showing no signs of slowing down and traditional news sources are going into overdrive producing reams of transfer rumours that don't seem to have any substance.

This window has already had some interesting deals so far and PSG's mega-money deal for Falcao is a perfect example. It was a protracted transfer, had big clubs involved with Man City and Chelsea, ended with an astronomical fee (£51m!) and involved a truly wonderful player.

However, some of the transfers being mooted recently would be too outlandish even for Football Manager, (though this doesn't mean they won't happen).

Transfers like:

1. Lionel Messi - (Barcelona to PSG)

Any team would love to sign the diminutive Argentine, but the reported £215m release clause is a shocking amount of money by any teams standards and would truly highlight the inequalities of modern football, which is intensified further given Spanish footballs' current economic climate.

PSG have already signed Falcao and the acquisition of Messi would only further signify their intent to dominate European football, but considering the problems going on in-house at Barca they would be lucky to sign him any time soon.

Nobody would ever expect his £215m clause to be met, but Messi would still have to agree to the move which seems even less likely, considering the constant stream of success he has enjoyed at Barcelona.

2. Juan Mata - (Chelsea to Arsenal) 

Mata was Chelsea's player of the season for me last year, but there have been reports that Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho wants him out.

 Nobody seems to be sure why, or if there is any truth in the rumour. He was reportedly offered as part of a player-plus-cash deal for Wayne Rooney but the club strongly denied offering either Mata or David Luiz.

Arsenal have thrown their hat into the ring for a player that would improve their team but it does seem doubtful that Chelsea would sell a player of his calibre to a rival from the same city.

Arsenal never like to pay over the odds and unless they put in a serious bid, I predict Mata will stay a Chelsea player at least until the end of the season.

3. Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona to Man Utd) 

The former Arsenal captain's transfer was deemed 'the prodigal son returning' as he moved back to Barca in the summer of 2011. Fast-forward two years and the World Cup winner is being chased by the new Utd manager David Moyes. 

A team as big as United always has a decent chance of signing their man, but Barca have already said that he isn't for sale and the player has a major affinity with Arsenal and their manager Arsene Wenger.

This transfer could actually happen, (just look at RVP) but the circumstances are slightly different, with Cesc at a different point in his career, playing for his dream club and the fact Barcelona have repeatedly said that they don't want to sell.

There have been further reports of Moyes tabling a larger £30m bid for the Spaniard today. 

4. Wayne Rooney - (Man Utd to Chelsea) 

Chelsea just don't seem to want to let this one go. The Blues have already arguably been burned with the £50m signing of Fernando Torres, but seem to be willing to invest in another slightly jaded superstar that has occasional flashes of brilliance.

Rooney is unplayable on his day, but Moyes seems keen to hold onto his man, despite Mourinho saying Rooney was his only target.

Chelsea love to sign big name strikers but this would be a gamble for the Blues and United don't have to bend to their financial clout.

Also, does Moyes really want to sanction the transfer of one of his star players so early into his United career? Until he signs a marquee player like Gareth Bale, probably not.

5. Lionel Messi (Barcelona to Man City) 

Yet another bid for the 'world's best player' and yet another astronomical fee. Granted, City have reportedly only bid £103m, which could build seven schools and have money left over, according to this report.

Players like Messi don't come around that often and don't always have a 'great nemesis' like C. Ronaldo to spur them on to even greater heights, but let's be fair, any team would be grateful to have him on their team and it would be interesting to see how he fares in the EPL.

Let's be honest, he would probably set any league alight.


So, that's the list, I hope you enjoyed reading. Feel free to sub, or comment if you think I've missed any out.

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5 good console/handheld concepts (that were awful in practice)

5 good console/handheld concepts (that were awful in practice)

In the past, some games hardware manufacturers have made strange choices in terms of finding a unique selling point for their product. 

Peripherals like the Power Glove and R.O.B have helped to keep developers on the right side of sane in more recent years and some of the concepts such as online gaming and services such as Steam are helping gaming into a golden age.

This doesn't mean that they don't make mistakes along the way, but the trial-and-error method seems to be working as some of the products on this very list have been refined into items used by gamers regularly.
  

1. Wireless controllers (Xbox 360) 

Wireless controllers are an amazing concept and I don't think I could ever go back to using their wired counterparts, but when they're powered by AA batteries and the official website explicitly states that you should use disposable batteries, it leads to more hassle than it's worth.

Later makes and models rectified this issue, with the PS3 controller chargeable via any USB port.

Having to constantly change or charge batteries comes at a cost to immersion and the original wireless controllers weren't known for their massive battery life, but it was a great idea and has become second nature to most console gamers.


2. Attachable disc drive (N64) 64DD

The 64DD was plagued with issues before launch and ended up shipping only 15,000 units, which means it was a total sales disaster.

Nintendo must have come to recognise the power in CD based-gaming and the 64DD was shipped with plenty of extras, including a mouse and keyboard combo that plugged into the controller slots.

Despite the good ideas, the 64DD is forever destined to be forgotten and it shows the problems with taking too long to release new hardware, as it was announced before the N64 released only to finally come out near the end of the consoles lifespan when it was already beaten by Sony's PS1.


3. Download only handheld (PSP-Go) 

Now, a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link and a download only console is only as strong as the service that supports it.

Sadly for the PSP, Sony seemed to neglect the PSN service that was the very lifeblood of the console. Coupling this with the hacks and customer information breach that Sony suffered and the console really had no chance.

Many people have replaced a console when it has broken, but the PSPGo actively discouraged this as you (obviously) couldn't use PSP UMDs with the handheld.

The iPhone revolutionised download-only portable gaming and the PSPGo was one of the many casualties in Apples all out war for supremacy. IOS gaming has improved and you can now find many old PSP titles on Apple's store.


4. EyeToy (PS2) 

The EyeToy is another strange idea stemming from the whole 'camera based' side of gaming peripherals such as the Game Boy camera and the Kinect.

I was pretty young when the Eyetoy released, but even then I recognised the 'gimmicky' aspects and decided to stay well away. 

The EyeToy managed to sell over 10m units worldwide which is nothing to be sniffed at, but it doesn't mean the product was any good.

I always thought of it as a glorified webcam that liked to capture people looking foolish as they played a number of poor mini-games, swatting monkeys, or wiping windows. Yes, they actually included that as a 'game'.

The poor selection of games didn't help to sway my opinion, but if done correctly I can see how it could be fun. Maybe.


5. Ridiculous Peripherals (Wii) Snooker Cue/Bowling Ball/Cooking Kit etc

There's no doubting the impact the Wii has had on dragging gaming into the mainstream, but their willingness to cater to all markets has opened the door to some shockingly specific peripherals, such as the Wii bowling ball or the sword and shield combo.

I have nothing against simulation games, but maybe it would be better to bowl in a real alley if you like it that much.

Game-specific controllers are useful for adding an extra dimension to games, but most are strewn with gimmicks, are poorly made, or are used to mask the fact the gameplay just isn't that good. 

Racing games are a good example of a useful gaming peripheral and at least the gamer will have plenty of titles to choose from, unlike, say, a bowling ball...



So that's the list, I hope you enjoyed it, please comment, sub or 1 plus.

For the videogame article archive: click here.