Earlier this week, Rockstar Games sent the interweb and social network into a crazed when a teaser trailer on the upcoming Grand Theft Auto V was release.

You can click on the video above to see the new game in action and first impressions are we are going back to San Andreas!

I have been a big fan of the Grand Theft Auto series, ever since the British game developer DMA Design – who are now Rockstar North – made the classic 1997 overhead view action game in the original GTA. Sure, it was full of controversy when the game went on sale – and to this day the various GTA games still cause many controversial moments with many themes and issues.

I used to play the PC version to death, perfecting the handbrake turn with a touch on the spacebar and completing the many missions escaping from rival gangs and the police, that my desktop computer crashes every time due to long excessive plays!

I even got the special mission pack for the original GTA when the setting switched to London in the 1960s. The game play made it really addictive to drive fast, kill bad guys and escape with many wanted attention from the police!

Grand Theft Auto 2 was release in 1999 with enhancement to the visuals, city activities, missions and game play. I actually found GTA2 to be quite difficult to play and didn’t enjoy it as much as I would like compared to the original.

But my feelings were soon dismissed when the impressive third-dimension environment in Grand Theft Auto III was released in 2001. The breakthrough in creating 3D visuals in the life, breathing fictional place called Liberty City (based on New York City) was simply amazing and even though the game is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, I still find it fun and engaging to play.

What made GTA III so special? The ability to fully explore all the parts of Liberty City in 3D was quite refreshing. The various radio stations and characters made the city came alive, plus the chance to create havoc with a host of destructive weapons made it entertaining and amusing.

I have many copies of GTA III on various formats including the PlayStation 2, PC and Mac. Rockstar Games are now marking this special tenth anniversary milestone by releasing it on handheld consoles including the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S. It will be fascinating to see and play without the aid of physical buttons, especially on the iOS devices.

The impressive 3D game engine developed by RenderWare allowed Rockstar Games to develop rich environments full of detail and life. In 2002, the setting of GTA was changed to the 1980s with the awesome Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

In my mind, this is my favourite in the series. The wonderful 1980s soundtrack made it so special as you drive past the Miami-inspired city of neon lights, beaches and high-rising buildings creating mayhem along the way! The voice acting, story and missions made a joy to play and it’s not surprising to hear that many gamers still favour Vice City as their most-liked GTA.

Rockstar Games actually made spin-offs on GTA III and GTA: Vice City for the PlayStation Portable (and was later adapted to the PlayStation 2) with Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. The two games were set in a different timeline to the originals with new characters, story and missions. I brought these titles for the PSP when it was first released in 2005-06 and even though I was impressed by the ability to play GTA on a handheld console, I wasn’t pleased by the long loading (blame the UMD disc) and short battery life on Sony’s portable gaming machine.

In 2004, Rockstar Games unveiled their most ambitions GTA with Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The game was set in 1992 focusing on California gang life and the awakening of the drug epidemic brought on by crack cocaine. The setting was in the fictional state of San Andreas, which was based on some California and Nevada cities, specifically Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. Their counterparts are Los Santos, San Fierro, and Las Venturas respectively.

Like the other GTA in the series, San Andreas composed of elements from driving games and third-person shooters, and features open-world game play that gives you full control in the 3D environment. For the first time in the series, you can customise your cars and character, and even interactive sexual relationships!

I was impressed by the huge, expansive world in GTA: San Andreas. The chance to gamble in the Las Venturas casinos, fly aeroplanes over San Fierro and performing drive-by shooting in Los Santos was mind-blowing. The large gaming environment made it fun to play but so easily get lost due to the many interactions with characters and side-missions.

Embarrassingly, to this day I have yet to complete the final mission in San Andreas when I got this game on the PlayStation 2. I have since brought the many versions available on the PC, Mac and Xbox but still unable to find the time to complete it!

By that time, I have invested in new consoles such as the Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo GameCube and Nintendo Wii playing a whole host of different games that I never went back to San Andreas! Yes, it’s a real shame but not to worry, Rockstar Games had an exciting title up their sleeve.

And that was the spectacular-looking Grand Theft Auto IV. Running on a new game engine, the Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE) plus the Euphoria physics engine, GTA IV was technically brilliant. The level of detail was striking and playing it in full High Definition on my Xbox 360 back in 2008 made it a complete joy.

Grand Theft Auto IV had a much more realistic game play than its predecessors, especially on the vehicle handling. The game once again takes place in a redesigned Liberty City that very closely resembles New York City, much more than previous renditions. In fact, you can visit the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and Times Square in GTA IV.

I simply love GTA IV. The music from the various radio stations, the humour, the missions and the different characters you interact with made this game so enjoyable to play. I even purchased the two downloadable content – Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned and Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony to expanded the fantastic game play.

The multiplayer mode in GTA IV was also great. The ability to join and host an Xbox Live party with my mates competing in races, missions and other fun activities made it a real pleasure. Amazingly, GTA IV is still in the top ten of most played multiplayer on Xbox Live to this day despite being an old game!

With the release of that trailer on Wednesday, November 2nd 2011 as the next Grand Theft Auto, the level of attention and coverage from gaming blogs, websites and magazines is sure to put big pressure on Rockstar North to fulfil everyone’s expectations and desires in Grand Theft Auto V.

After watching that short video clip, I am full of excitement into what’s in store in Grand Theft Auto V. The graphics do look incredible over what was quite an impressive-looking Grand Theft Auto IV.

The setting in Grand Theft Auto V is Los Santos, the fictional version of Los Angeles and its California surroundings, including Hollywood (Vinewood) and rural hills and valleys.

Rockstar Games announced that Grand Theft Auto V was in full development and that it would take place within Los Santos and its “surrounding hills, countryside and beaches”, and that it would be “the largest and the most ambitious game Rockstar has yet created”.

Rockstar parent Take-Two calls GTA V “a bold new direction in open-world freedom, story telling, mission-based game play and online multiplayer,” while confirming that its story will focus on “the pursuit of the almighty dollar in a re-imagined, present-day Southern California.”

The most telling aspect is what platform this game is coming out on. Will it be the usual suspects with the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC? Plus there were no details on release date. Only Rockstar Games has the answer and after watching that teaser trailer, I want to find out more!

This is Microsoft’s answer to the ‘real driving simulator’ with the superb Forza Motorsport series from developer Turn 10 Studios. The latest title for the Xbox 360 – Forza Motorsport 4 – features Kinect support, which can track your head movement while racing and when exploring the inner beauty of your desirable exotic cars in Autovista mode.

Even though I am a fan of Sony’s Gran Turismo series, I felt the latest instalment on the PlayStation 3 lacked something… the feeling of competing wheel-to-wheel in a race and fighting for track position in a highly competitive field of cars. Sure, the sensation of driving is quite accurate with realistic handling in terms of tyre grip and performance but in terms of game play, Gran Turismo 5 felt a little sterile and to be brutally honest, dull.

Since purchasing the Xbox 360, I have been enjoying many fantastic racing games with the likes of DiRT, Project Gotham Racing 4, Test Drive Unlimited and of course Forza Motorsport 2 and 3.

It took me over a hundred hours to fully complete Forza Motorsport 3, unlocking faster and powerful cars while progressing the World Tour Mode. The sense of achievement in winning championship races or endurance events was a great feeling and I love the idea in which you can customise any car with colourful liveries and decals.

In addition, the Xbox Live multiplayer mode was fantastic and I remember spending hours racing against my mates fighting tooth and nail to be number one! The Xbox Marketplace was also the place to download new cars, tracks and liveries thanks to the enthusiasm of Forza Motorsport fans.

The level of detail was astonishing with beautiful rendering of the cars and tracks. The game play can be fully customise to provide a challenge and for once, competing against the AI rivals felt like you are actually racing instead of follow the leader and sticking to the racing line…

With the news that Forza Motorsport 4 for the Xbox 360 is out in October, it will be fascinating to see whether the new features will improve the quite excellent Forza Motorsport 3 even further.

Well, first impressions are the visuals (check out the YouTube videos of the trailers above). It looks fantastic, in particular the interior shots. The new Autovista mode, which features Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson giving his opinion about the cars, reveal the true attention to detail that the developer Turn 10 Studios has focus on in this new game.

In fact, Turn 10 Studios has scored an exclusive deal with the BBC with a multiple year partnership with the popular motoring show. The content provided by the BBC’s BAFTA award-winning television show Top Gear, will include narration from presenter Jeremy Clarkson during the virtual showroom navigation (Autovista), the Top Gear test track at Dunsfold aerodrome plus the ability to take part in the ‘Star in a Reasonably Price Car’ challenge in the Kia Cee’d. Not only that, Forza Motorsport 4 will include the classic Top Gear ‘Car Football’ as part of the World Tour Mode, plus a Top Gear bowling mini game, both set on the official Top Gear test track.

It all sounds so good with the Top Gear partnership and yet Turn 10 has spoil us even more with the news that the game is officially partnered with the American Le Mans Series for two years. This new arrangement will see in-game ALMS themed events featuring the cars and tracks raced in the series.

I have already pre-ordered the Limited Collector’s Edition off Game.co.uk which features exclusive downloadable content including a dashboard theme and various car packs available on Xbox Live. Not only that, a 96-page volume entitled ‘Cars of Forza Motorsport 4 Presented By Top Gear’, written by the editors from Top Gear magazine.

Roll on October 14 (European release date) for Forza Motorsport 4!

It is considered to be the best video game ever as voted by industry experts and gamers alike when it first appeared on the Nintendo N64 console back in 1998 and now thirteen years later, the remake for the Nintendo 3DS means we get to re-experience The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in full three dimension goodness.

I have to admit that I miss out on the opportunity to play this classic game when it first came out on the N64. Back then, my main gaming console was the Sony PlayStation. I was playing the likes of Gran Turismo, Formula One and Metal Gear Solid, so I wasn’t aware of how important this game became among the Nintendo gamers.

The amount of appraiser for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was amazing (and it still is!). It received top scores from magazine reviews and huge favouritism from fans that in the end, the game became a true legacy for Nintendo. I am not surprised by the amount of copies sold around the world over the years and the various re-releases on different formats – Virtual Console, iQUE Player and the Nintendo GameCube – that is shows the true popularity in this epic action-adventure video game.

Since purchasing the 3DS – the latest handheld gaming console from Nintendo, which has the ability to show 3D visuals without the aid of special glasses – it was essential for me to purchase this game. Not because it was the game to play at this moment of time, but for the reason of why it was so popular.

After playing over 39 hours – with constant re-charging due to the poor battery life on the 3DS – I now realise why The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D is so special.

The level designs especially the dungeons are a work of genius. The puzzle element works well and you get a sense of achievement when you defeat the various bosses and temples as you progress through this epic game.

The soundtrack is simply beautiful. Playing the various ocarina tunes is a pure delight as some can reveal secrets!

As for the game play, in the role of Link, the 3D visuals and motion control work fantastically well, that you feel engaged in the world of Hyrule. The element of time travel thanks to the ocarina is great and meeting different characters on your adventures made it addictive.

Since defeating the evil Ganondorf and unlocking the Master Quest mode, I am in a 50/50 situation whether to begin a new adventure – this time on a harder difficulty – or play some other games I have downloaded on the 3DS system thanks to the excellent Nintendo eShop.

Here’s the game in action. I do love the music in this!

Actually, I might go back to Hyrule and replay it after watching this YouTube trailer! Best to start a new game save…

It’s been five years since the ‘real driving simulator’ from Polyphony Digital made an appearance on the Sony PlayStation – the brilliant Gran Turismo 4 on the PlayStation 2.

I remember spending hours, days and even months unlocking faster and powerful cars while progressing the deeply involving career mode in Gran Turismo 4. The sense of achievement in winning endurance races or rally stages was a great feeling and I love the idea of taking photographs featuring your dream cars afterwards.

The level of detail was astonishing with beautiful rendering of the cars and tracks. The game play had a slight difficulty curve, from the simple arcade mode in which you can powerslide and barge your way through to the chequered flag in first place, to the more realistic and unforgiving Gran Turismo mode where even tyre wear became a factor when racing against the AI rivals.

With the news that Gran Turismo 5 for the PlayStation 3 is finally out of development hell with the European release on November 3 (a full 24 hours after the US release), it will be fascinating if this new racing game can live up to the big hype.

I really hope it does as I love the series and have been playing the original Gran Turismo way back in 1997 on the PSone. Sure, the game play remains the same over the years with improved graphics and more manufacturers being involved, but the biggest criticism was a lack of damage affecting the cars. It was quite surreal for a car to remain unscratched after slamming into a wall at 120mph… But thankfully the new game features a more detail and realistic damage model.

As for the cars, I am amazed and really excited by the idea that Gran Turismo 5 features over one thousand cars, with Lamborghini and Bugatti making a first time appearance in the game. It even has the license to feature the World Rally Championship, NASCAR and Super GT. This is driving heaven!

Plus, you can even design your own tracks with a course creator! If you happened to get bored when racing around on the Daytona International Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Monza and the Top Gear Test Track…

The graphics are truly spectacular. From the dust and grass kicked up into the night sky to the reflective water effects when racing in the rain. Series creator Kazunori Yamauchi and his team should be immensely proud with the level of detail and commitment in making Gran Turismo 5 the most photo-realistic racing game on the PlayStation 3.

And after watching this stylish trailer, featuring an appearance of Adrian Newey and Sebastian Vettel from Red Bull Racing, my enthusiasm for this game has set my heart racing!

Yes I have to confess that five years has been a long time to get my Gran Turismo fix. Microsoft and Turn 10′s Forza Motorsport 2 and 3 on the Xbox 360 has been the best substitute for my racing needs but nothing can match the sheer passion with Yamauchi-san latest driving simulator. Roll on November 3 2010.

UPDATE: The official real date of Gran Turismo 5 has been confirmed as November 24. It has been pushed back many times but it seems the game is now ready.

This season’s Formula One World Championship has been the most intense and competitive yet with the top five drivers separated by just twenty points with seven events left to run. It would be great for the fans to experience this unique sporting contest in the footsteps of these racing idols with the possibility of driving these amazing fast racing cars.

Well it seems we have the chance – be it virtually and the use of our Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 – with the launch of a new video game from the makers of Colin McRae DiRT and Race Driver GRID.

Out next month a new video game will be available on sale that has capture the excitement and drama of Formula One. Codemasters’ F1 2010 will feature all the drivers, teams, cars and circuits based on this year’s championship.

And judging by the various screenshots plus video diaries posted by Codemasters, this new game will be very special in placing the player into the world of Formula One motor racing.

The last time I have played a video game based on my favourite sport was Studio Liverpool’s Formula One Championship Edition on the PlayStation 3. The game was based on the 2006 season and despite the High Definition visuals, it was quite frustrating to play. The reason? Understeer. No matter what set-up you applied to dial out the annoying understeer problem, the car will always drift out wide when going around a corner…

In addition, because it is based on the 2006 season, the sport and regulations have changed so dramatically that it feels really dated compared to now. No Lewis Hamilton at McLaren? Groove tyres over slicks? Plus racing around on old tracks like Magny-Cours is not fun.

With the upcoming F1 2010, not only do we have the latest drivers, teams, cars and tracks, but the developer have added new features to being in a role of a top-class racing driver. Read the Formula1.com article for the full details below:

F1 2010™ is the first multi-format, high definition Formula One videogame from Codemasters®, the developer and publisher of award-winning racing games, under its exclusive worldwide agreement with Formula One Administration Limited.

Complete with all the drivers, teams and circuits featuring in the current 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship, F1 2010 will immerse players in the glamour and exhilaration of the world’s most exciting motorsport, from the paddock to the track.

Developed using Codemasters’ EGO™ Technology Platform, an evolution from the award winning EGO Engine, F1 2010 will deliver an unrivalled F1 experience, powered by cutting edge graphics, advanced physics systems and integrated network play.

Features:

All the cars, all the stars – fully licensed, F1 2010 features all the drivers and teams contesting the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship, including drivers’ world champions Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher.

Every circuit, beautifully realised – race wheel-to-wheel on all 19 of the 2010 tracks, each modelled with exceptional attention to detail and jaw-dropping visuals. The revitalised line-up features iconic circuits including Silverstone, Spa-Francorchamps and Monaco and challenges players to race at the returning Canadian Grand Prix, take on Singapore’s dramatic night race in high definition for the first time and debut ahead of the drivers on the all-new Korean circuit.

Be the Driver, Live the Life - there is more to being a Formula One driver than being the fastest person on track and F1 2010 is the first game to allow players to experience the exclusive world of Formula One like never before. From the paddock to the garage, everything is viewed from the driver’s perspective, as players are immersed in the building excitement and drama of a race weekend. Players will interact with rival drivers, team members, fans, and of course, the press, which all affect the way the gamer’s career plays out. Use the media to spur the team on or to criticise the lack of car development and pressure rivals in the hope that they fold during the championship run-in…

The world’s greatest cars, the most exciting racing – building on the heritage of producing award-winning racing games for over a decade, Codemasters is uniquely placed to realise the spectacle and exhilaration of racing 320km/h-plus Formula one cars. F1 2010 embraces the broad range of Formula One fans, from casual gamer to hardcore simulation enthusiast, and delivers a range of difficulty levels and driving aids for players of all skill levels to experience the thrill of becoming a Formula One driver. Players can fully customise a huge range of vehicle variables to suit their style of driving and eke every last ounce of performance from their car, or leave the leg work to their race engineer and head straight out onto the track. F1 2010 will also support a comprehensive range of racing wheels for the ultimate racing experience.

Fully dynamic weather - affecting strategy, performance and delivering stunning visual effects, F1 2010 features the most advanced weather system in any racing game. Codemasters’ ‘Active Track’ technology means the grip in the wet or dry for each circuit’s track surface is modelled down to just 30cm. Individual tyre performance is accurately modelled depending on the amount of grip, rain or standing surface water there is at any given point. Players can adjust their driving style by searching out grip or take the line that allows water to cool their tyres or adjust their strategy by making a pit stop to change tyres.

Unprecedented authenticity – Codemasters has used its unprecedented access to the world of Formula One to connect the development team directly with Formula One teams and tyre manufacturers. Extensive consultancy has taken place with a range of F1 professionals, including race engineers, mechanics and drivers. This real world experience is combined with F1 data, including CAD and on-board telemetry, to deliver a race experience complete with authentic handling, accurate circuits and precisely modelled racing cars. To ensure fans get the ultimate racing experience, former F1 driver Anthony Davidson has been embedded into the Codemasters development team as Technical Consultant to advise on handling and performance.

Build a career - whether players wish to work their way up from the bottom, switching teams as they go, or build a dynasty with their chosen team, gamers can fully realise their aspirations in F1 2010’s extensive and challenging career mode. Players compete with their closest rival, their teammate, to become the priority driver and shape the future development of the car by performing well in races and funding performance upgrades. Battles out on the track will develop into rivalries with drivers from other teams, but keep it clean or the media will be waiting…

Experience the drama of the pit - Codemasters has worked closely with Formula One teams to motion capture a fully manned pit crew, delivering a gameplay experience which is vibrant and full of pressure. The full pit lane, featuring each team in their various stages of strategy, becomes home to tense and exciting moments of drama as the drivers and crew work to return their car to the race as fast as possible.

Full online multiplayer – F1 2010 will include extensive online multiplayer options allowing players to take on their friends and the rest of the world in a range of race modes.

EGO powered F1 – F1 2010 is being developed on the EGO Game Technology platform, evolved from the award winning EGO engine. Enabling Codemasters’ development talent to share tools and technology across Studios and Central Technology teams, the EGO Game Technology Platform empowers Codemasters’ game designers to realise their creative visions across multiple platforms featuring cutting edge graphics, powerful AI, advanced physics systems and integrated network play.

Check out this latest YouTube video featuring the game in action:

It all sounds great and I am definitely looking forward to playing this game. The visuals look very realistic especially racing in the wet and the idea of taking part in press conferences giving interviews sounds appealing.

Hopefully the car handling – the most important part of racing games – will be forgiving and yet difficult to master to appeal to players into the pinnacle of motor racing.

Left 4 Dead is one of my favourite first-person shooter video game and thanks to my sister’s recommendation I just love playing this! It is highly addictive and when playing online via Xbox Live, this becomes the co-operative game with your close mates.

It’s simply not the case to go ‘guns-a-blazing’ and trying to prove to everyone that you’re invincible. As often than not, you will end up dead! So the true meaning of teamwork and sticking together when fighting off the hundreds of zombies is what makes Left 4 Dead so appealing.

In campaign mode, you play the role on one of the four Survivors in a post-apocalyptic world against the might of the Infected. These zombies have the ability to attack in hordes. In addition, unlike previous survival horror games with the likes of Dead Rising and Resident Evil, these zombies move fucking fast!

And to make it even more of a nightmare to stay alive, five special infected bosses are randomly placed around the levels making the journey to the checkpoint (or save house) that extra more difficult…

The Hunter is quite a deadly foe and it is best not to stand still in an area looking for trouble. His agile ability to leap from high places and his surprise attack will mean you get pinned down and ripped to shreds!

Another special infected to look out for is the Smoker. You can tell that the Smoker is about to attack by his coughing. He attacks by grabbing from afar with his long tongue. So you better watch out or else!

The Boomer can be quite a nuisance if you’re not being careful, as this bloated zombie will impair your vision when he vomits on to you! When this happens, a whole hordes of zombies attack so it is best to kill him the moment you see the fat ugly thing.

As for the Tank, he is the strongest special infected in Left 4 Dead. Killing him is a real challenge and thanks to his immense strength, he can throw a punch knocking out almost your entire energy/health bar in one go! To kill the Tank, you must work in a group and keep firing your weapon until he goes down.

But by the far the most dangerous is the Witch. Do not even think about approaching her! Her crying is one of the scariest parts of this game and if you happen to disturb her by firing your weapon or even flashing your light onto her, she will run at you at a rapid pace, knock you down and begin ripping you from limp to limp!

But without these five bosses, killing mass number of the undead will become tiring and ultimately boring. So kudos for Valve, the makers of the excellent Half Life 2 and Team Fortress 2, by adding these extra special infected to make Left 4 Dead fun, addictive and above all, entertaining.

Back in March 2007, I posted on my blog that I wasn’t that interested in the PlayStation 3 as it was too expensive and didn’t have that many games. Well, after a year of waiting for the price cut and a certain “real driving simulation”, I have finally purchased the new Sony game console.

Sure, it doesn’t support the backwards compatibility to play PlayStation 2 games like Okami, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, but at least I didn’t have to pay over £400 to buy this advance machine. Okay, it has a smaller hard drive than the 60GB model – that can also play PS2 games – but I feel I made a wise choice in buying one as there are some decent quality titles coming out on this system in 2008.

The first of which is Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. It maybe a demo offering a slight glimpse of what the real game will be like with hundreds of car manufacturers, real race tracks from around the world and at last, damage mode – but the fact that this game showcase the potential of the PS3 with high definition visuals and sound means I am genuinely excited by this next gen video game console.

The PlayStation 3 uses the Blu-ray disc media that is now the definitive choice for high definition viewing – though I won’t be spending my cash on purchasing the same films to have a rich and nice display.

I believe Konami’s tactical espionage action game that is Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of Patriots will be the biggest hit for the PS3. From scanning those stunning screenshots and digesting every bit of information about Hideo Kojima’s stealth-based video game, I am genuine excited to play it.

For the time being, I will make do with the racing games I got for the system with the likes of Formula One Championship Edition and MotorStorm to fulfil my need for speed.

After playing both version of Guitar Hero II on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 to death, it’s nice to experience a new set list of rockin’ tracks with the latest instalment of the popular music rhythm game.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock has been developed by Neversoft after Activision decided to focus its attention on creating a brand new music game – the quite superb Rock Band (which is currently available in the States). Even though the game play to Guitar Hero III is identical to the previous titles, it some how feels different…

Yes, you still need to play through the different tracks by pressing the five colour fret buttons with the unique guitar controller but new to Guitar Hero III is the boss battle mode. To be honest, I really despise this new game play element as the balance between winning and losing is so random…

Okay its great to face-off legendary guitarists like Tom Morello (of Rage Against the Machine/Audioslave), Slash (of Guns N’ Roses/Slash’s Snakepit/Velvet Revolver) and Bret Michaels (of Poison) but you have to rely on sheer good fortune to take victory.

To defeat your opponent, you will need to pick up Battle Power (which replaces Star Power) to earn attacks. By using this special ability, you can strike against your fellow competitor just by tilting the guitar upwards. It may seem fun to keep on attacking but they can fight back – causing missed notes, increase in difficulty and even amp overload!

As for the visuals, the set designs and animation of the band members feels more realistic. In fact the lip sync on the singer matches the voices coming out of his mouth!

The track listing is now full of master recording from the likes of The Rolling Stones, The Smashing Pumpkins, Muse, Metallica and The Sex Pistols. It all sounds fantastic, a massive improvement over the cover versions that were featured in the previous Guitar Heroes.

And with the new wireless guitar – based on a real Gibson Les Paul model – playing the tracks is a more rewarding experience. What a shame that the boss battle seems misplace after all the fun playing encores… At least the new controller has a better responding whammy bar and is a lot more comfortable compare to X-plorer…

My Xbox 360 committed suicide this month by giving me the dreaded three red lights a.k.a. the Red Ring of Death. I was shocked when this occur especially as my friend was playing quite well on Expert mode in Guitar Hero II…

The whole screen froze and when we tried to reset the console, the familiar red lights flashed away. To be honest, I was heading towards the console’s deathbed in the past couple of weeks when it crashed ten times in a space of an hour! In that period, I replayed the same race in Project Gotham Racing 4 without making past the first corner… To see white lines and square blocks appearing on my Samsung HDTV during a game and on the Xbox 360 loading screen means there is something seriously going wrong inside the machine.

I called up customer support immediately and after explaining the problem, I arrange a pick-up to get it repaired. The good news is that I don’t need to pay for the repair as Microsoft has a three-year warranty. The bad news is I won’t get my Xbox 360 for the next three to four weeks so in the meantime I can continue my quest in Super Mario Galaxy on the reliable Nintendo Wii! But in all seriousness, Microsoft is aware of the RROD situation. In fact, I discover that Microsoft receives numerous amounts of broken Xbox 360s with this problem EVERYDAY!

I hope I get it back in the New Year, as I desperately want to play Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock with the new wireless guitar controller. Plus, I have to finish off those remaining levels in Bioshock (feel embarrass that I yet to complete it). Fingers cross my Xbox 360 is running fine without any more problems when I get it back.

I have a little confession to make – I haven’t played a Super Mario game since the good old Game Boy. Super Mario Land was a classic and it was one of the first proper platform games that I completed from start to finish. The game play was short but sweet and I’m amazed that I missed out on several other Mario games on the main Nintendo consoles.

These include the sublime Super Mario World (Super Nintendo), Mario 64 (Nintendo 64) and er… Super Mario Sunshine (GameCube). Actually, this particular game is considered to be the most frustrating for video gamers. Maybe the sense of cleaning the world with a water-powered jet pack was not ideal for people obsessed with killing things…

With Super Mario Galaxy, everyone’s favourite Italian plumber is back and with the benefit of the Wii’s motion sensor controls; this is by far the most impressive Mario game ever.

The control system works a treat and it’s a joyful pleasure to run and jump around on different planets in glorious 3D. The visuals and level design are nothing short of breathtaking with it own sense of style and atmosphere.

The game play is heavily addictive and it was quite a nice touch to have a co-op mode for the second player. Instead of them sitting there watching you playing this fantastic game, they can help by waving the Wiimote around collecting Star Bits!

I have yet to complete it as I’ve been sidetracked by work and also my recent holiday to Hong Kong but considering I have to collect around 120 golden stars to finish it – currently I have 25 – then I have quite a long way to go in Super Mario Galaxy! So many other planets and galaxies yet to explore, so it is best to load this up and continue my epic quest!